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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: calf · game · cell · mark · bay · key · current · roll

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. roll — a cake
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. game — wild animals
  6. key — in music
  7. current — of water
  8. current — happening now
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. cell — in biology
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. cell — a phone
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. roll — a list
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mark — a grade
  23. game — a match
  24. roll — on a roll

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