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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 · toast · present · current · staff · race

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. toast — bread
  3. staff — a stick
  4. present — there
  5. staff — employees
  6. current — of water
  7. present — a gift
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. race — humankind
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. present — the time now
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. race — the arms race
  16. current — happening now
  17. staff — employees
  18. race — a contest

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