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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. current — electric
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fall — the season
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. current — happening now
  11. mine — for digging
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. stock — goods
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fall — to drop
  21. current — of water
  22. stock — shares
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mine — an explosive

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