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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 116 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: current · suit · ground · saw · bat · calf · face · stick

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. suit — in cards
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. ground — crushed
  9. current — happening now
  10. ground — a position
  11. current — electric
  12. current — of water
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. face — to point toward
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. face — to confront
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bat — the animal
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. calf — a young animal

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