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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 120 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 · fork · stick · object · rock · present · sharp · current

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. current — of water
  3. rock — a stone
  4. present — there
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. object — a thing
  7. present — a gift
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — to protest
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rock — music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. current — happening now
  15. present — the time now
  16. fork — in a road
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — electric
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — with an edge

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