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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: march · calf · fan · craft · bass · current · hide · fork

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — of water
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bass — low music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fork — in a road
  13. current — happening now
  14. craft — boats
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. march — the month
  17. march — music
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. march — the month
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bass — the fish
  24. craft — a handicraft

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