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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 116 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: rush · current · cue · calf · face · kid · bass · deal

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. rush — hurry
  5. face — to point toward
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. face — to confront
  8. face — part of the head
  9. current — of water
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. kid — child
  13. cue — a hint
  14. deal — to handle
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — for pool
  19. bass — the fish
  20. current — happening now
  21. cue — a signal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bass — low music
  24. rush — a thrill

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