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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: calf · pop · bore · bear · game · suit · current · shower

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. suit — clothes
  3. current — happening now
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bear — the animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pop — to visit
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pop — music
  14. current — of water
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pop — soda
  17. game — a match
  18. shower — rain
  19. game — wild animals
  20. shower — to wash
  21. suit — in cards
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. bear — the animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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