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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: calf · tube · wind · patient · current · wave · mouse · rock

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. current — of water
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. tube — the underground
  9. current — happening now
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tube — a container
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. current — electric
  23. rock — music
  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