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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. charge — a price
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. current — happening now
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. charge — electricity
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — clever
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. current — electric
  14. kick — in football
  15. charge — in control
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wax — to grow
  20. face — to point toward
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. kick — with a leg

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