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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
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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: calf · cap · lean · game · toast · ball · bark · current

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. current — of water
  3. ball — a great time
  4. cap — a lid
  5. current — happening now
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ball — a dance
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. toast — bread
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cap — of ice
  17. game — a match
  18. lean — thin
  19. cap — a hat
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. current — electric
  24. calf — of the leg

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