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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 · current · fan · lash · wake · stand · can · chest

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stand — to bear
  4. wake — a trail
  5. can — a tin
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. can — a tin
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. current — happening now
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. current — of water
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. current — electric
  21. can — to be able to
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. chest — of your body

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