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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: ball · mug · current · staff · calf · game · bat · hide

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. bat — the animal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. current — happening now
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. mug — to rob
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. ball — a great time
  12. staff — a stick
  13. current — of water
  14. staff — employees
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. game — a match
  17. mug — a cup
  18. game — wild animals
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. staff — employees
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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