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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: calf · current · stick · hide · clip · mark · pitcher · lean

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. calf — a young animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. current — happening now
  7. clip — a video
  8. clip — for paper
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. lean — thin
  14. lean — to bend
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. clip — to cut
  19. current — electric
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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