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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. current — happening now
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. current — electric
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. current — of water
  13. roll — a cake
  14. plane — a tool
  15. roll — a list
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. bulb — of a plant

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