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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: fork · current · degree · spell · calf · chip · suit · squash

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. current — electric
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. degree — from a university
  5. chip — for betting
  6. degree — an amount
  7. squash — to crush
  8. spell — a short time
  9. chip — to eat
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. current — happening now
  13. fork — in a road
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. degree — temperature
  17. current — of water
  18. spell — magic
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. suit — to fit
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — clothes
  24. spell — letters

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