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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: kid · roll · kick · bear · current · pop · can · rest

  1. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pop — music
  6. roll — a list
  7. pop — soda
  8. bear — the animal
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. kid — to tease
  14. roll — a cake
  15. can — a tin
  16. can — a tin
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. rest — what's left
  20. kick — in football
  21. can — to be able to
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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