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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 120 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 · tear · mug · lean · calf · fine · cell · pit

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. tear — to rip
  5. fine — high quality
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cell — a phone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. tear — from crying
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. mug — a face
  17. tear — from crying
  18. cell — in biology
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mug — a cup
  21. fine — all right
  22. mug — to rob
  23. current — of water
  24. lean — to rest against

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