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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 · fall · pop · current · mark · fan · court · fine

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. court — for sport
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. current — electric
  6. fall — the season
  7. court — of a king
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — high quality
  10. current — of water
  11. court — of law
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pop — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fall — to drop
  24. current — happening now

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