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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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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: rest · calf · dip · kid · current · root · wave · craft

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. craft — boats
  6. kid — to tease
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. root — of a word
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. current — happening now
  13. rest — what's left
  14. root — the cause
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. current — of water
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. current — electric
  19. craft — a skill
  20. root — of a plant
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — to sink
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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