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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: band · cabinet · nail · calf · saw · ball · current · wound

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wound — an injury
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. band — a ring
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. current — happening now
  20. band — a music group
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. current — of water
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wound — an injury

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