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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: face · chest · fork · mouse · perch · calf · current · rush

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fork — in a road
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. face — to confront
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chest — a box
  17. perch — the fish
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. current — happening now
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. current — of water
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chest — of your body

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