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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: current · plane · field · stick · mark · bay · cap · calf

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. current — happening now
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — a grade
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cap — a hat
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cap — of ice
  16. current — of water
  17. cap — a lid
  18. field — for sport
  19. field — farmland
  20. current — electric
  21. field — a subject
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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