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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: date · current · cap · bore · fan · bay · calf · straw

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cap — a lid
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bore — to drill
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bore — to tire
  13. current — happening now
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. date — the fruit
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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