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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. firm — steady
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. can — a tin
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a hat
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. rash — a series
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. firm — a company
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. firm — decided
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. current — happening now
  20. current — electric
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. current — of water
  23. cap — a lid
  24. toast — bread

Multiple-meaning words list

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

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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