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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. club — for golf
  4. kid — to tease
  5. club — a group
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bank — for money
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. kid — child
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. current — electric
  12. bank — for money
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. mug — a face
  15. mug — to rob
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bank — of a river
  19. perch — the fish
  20. current — of water
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. mug — a cup

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com