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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: rock · capital · temple · stem · current · calf · pound · present

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. present — the time now
  4. current — happening now
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pound — a weight
  12. current — electric
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. capital — money
  15. rock — a stone
  16. stem — to come from
  17. present — there
  18. present — a gift
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. current — of water
  21. rock — music
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. capital — a city

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