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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: lean · date · rush · hide · perch · toast · calf · current

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. date — the fruit
  6. lean — to bend
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. lean — thin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. current — happening now
  16. rush — hurry
  17. toast — bread
  18. perch — the fish
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. current — of water
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. current — electric

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