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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: firm · row · last · current · wake · jam · mate · calf

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. last — final
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. firm — steady
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a line
  8. current — of water
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wake — a trail
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. last — finally
  13. mate — a partner
  14. current — electric
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. firm — decided
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. mate — to breed
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mate — a friend
  24. firm — a company

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