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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: sharp · stand · rock · pit · degree · calf · current · face

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  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. current — electric
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. face — to point toward
  7. degree — from a university
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pit — a hole
  10. degree — an amount
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pit — in a race
  13. face — to confront
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. degree — temperature
  16. face — part of the head
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. current — happening now
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. calf — a young animal
  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