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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: cap · current · racket · calf · ball · kick · fan · race

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. cap — of ice
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ball — a dance
  7. kick — in football
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. race — the arms race
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. cap — a hat
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cap — a lid
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. race — humankind
  22. current — electric
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. race — a contest

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