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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 116 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: current · calf · hand · object · rock · cap · ground · squash

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. ground — crushed
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. object — a thing
  5. current — electric
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. hand — help
  9. rock — a stone
  10. cap — a hat
  11. ground — the earth
  12. cap — a lid
  13. object — to protest
  14. cap — of ice
  15. squash — to crush
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — an aim
  18. current — happening now
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ground — a position
  21. squash — the sport
  22. current — of water
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hand — in cards

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