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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  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. wound — an injury
  3. staff — employees
  4. current — of water
  5. wound — an injury
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. suit — to fit
  10. key — for a lock
  11. suit — in cards
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. suit — clothes
  16. rush — hurry
  17. current — electric
  18. staff — employees
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. key — the most important part
  22. perch — the fish
  23. key — in music
  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