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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.

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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: current · bulb · bass · calf · ruler · hand · staff · clip

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. current — of water
  5. clip — to cut
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. current — happening now
  9. bass — low music
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. staff — a stick
  12. clip — for paper
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. hand — in cards
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. hand — help
  20. current — electric
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. staff — employees
  24. clip — a video

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