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

Word bank: cap · swing · stand · current · rule · calf

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — of ice
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cap — a hat
  7. current — of water
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. stand — to bear
  10. current — electric
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. rule — a law
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. rule — government
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. current — happening now
  18. stand — for spectators

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