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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
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: hide · calf · pitcher · mark · current · bass · object · bulb

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. current — happening now
  3. bulb — for light
  4. object — an aim
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. current — electric
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. object — a thing
  10. mark — a trace
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. object — to protest
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. current — of water
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bulb — for light

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