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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 116 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: bear · calf · current · firm · charge · pop · lie · bat

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pop — music
  6. bear — the animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bat — the animal
  11. pop — soda
  12. charge — in control
  13. current — electric
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. charge — a price
  19. current — of water
  20. firm — a company
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — decided
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. current — happening now

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