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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. current — of water
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. present — the time now
  5. board — to get on
  6. current — happening now
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. band — a music group
  15. current — electric
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. degree — from a university
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. present — a gift
  22. board — a committee
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. present — there

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