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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. swing — music
  8. fine — high quality
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. prune — to trim
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. spring — a coil
  15. firm — steady
  16. current — of water
  17. current — happening now
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. spring — the season
  20. swing — to play on
  21. firm — a company
  22. swing — in golf
  23. firm — decided
  24. spring — of water

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