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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: foot · calf · press · current · wind · club

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. press — newspapers
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. foot — a measure
  6. current — of water
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wind — moving air
  10. current — happening now
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. club — for golf
  13. current — electric
  14. club — for dancing
  15. wind — moving air
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. press — a publisher
  18. club — a group

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