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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: calf · scale · current · shower · mark · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. scale — in music
  4. mark — a grade
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mark — a trace
  9. shower — to wash
  10. current — happening now
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. current — electric
  14. shower — rain
  15. scale — size or range
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. current — 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