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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: current · rash · calf · saw · bore · face · mate · staff

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rash — a series
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. current — electric
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mate — a partner
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. staff — employees
  15. bore — to tire
  16. current — happening now
  17. staff — a stick
  18. current — of water
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rash — hasty
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. face — to confront
  23. mate — a friend
  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