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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ground — the earth
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. hand — in cards
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. ground — a position
  12. current — happening now
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. branch — a division
  15. current — electric
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. hand — help

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