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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: roll · present · mouse · plane · current · deal · wake · calf

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. present — there
  4. deal — to handle
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. present — a gift
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. present — the time now
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. current — happening now
  18. wake — a trail
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. roll — a cake
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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