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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: branch · mouse · dip · foot · can · current · calf · sharp

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. foot — a measure
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. dip — to sink
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. branch — a division
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. sharp — clever
  20. current — electric
  21. current — of water
  22. current — happening now
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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