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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: rash · staff · march · calf · present · current · perch · rule

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. present — there
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. perch — the fish
  5. rule — government
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — employees
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rash — hasty
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. current — happening now
  18. current — of water
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rule — a law
  21. rash — a series
  22. march — music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rash — on the skin

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