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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 · dip · cold · suit · charge · object · current · stem

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — to come from
  4. cold — an illness
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. current — happening now
  7. suit — to fit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. object — an aim
  11. charge — in control
  12. suit — clothes
  13. charge — electricity
  14. object — to protest
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. suit — in cards
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. charge — a price
  19. cold — not warm
  20. dip — to sink
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. object — a thing
  23. current — electric
  24. stem — of a plant

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