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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: last · lie · object · current · racket · pound · club · calf

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — to recline
  3. last — final
  4. club — a group
  5. object — a thing
  6. last — to go on
  7. current — of water
  8. club — for golf
  9. object — an aim
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. last — finally
  16. current — happening now
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. club — for dancing
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. current — electric
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. object — to protest
  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