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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
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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: kick · craft · present · current · calf · squash · wake · rush

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. current — electric
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. current — happening now
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. current — of water
  10. present — the time now
  11. present — a gift
  12. craft — a skill
  13. squash — the sport
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rush — hurry
  16. kick — in football
  17. craft — boats
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. present — there
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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