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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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. suit — to fit
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. suit — clothes
  6. track — to keep track
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — electric
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. track — a path
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. band — a music group
  13. pass — a permit
  14. band — a ring
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. game — wild animals
  17. current — of water
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. game — a match
  22. suit — in cards
  23. track — a song
  24. current — happening now

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