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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: mouse · current · calf · pitcher · lie · fine · sharp · chest

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. current — happening now
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. fine — high quality
  7. current — of water
  8. sharp — clever
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. chest — a box
  11. lie — to recline
  12. current — electric
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. chest — of your body
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. chest — of your body
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. fine — all right
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. fine — a penalty

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