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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: calf · tube · current · pound · bear · last · fork · wave

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. last — final
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bear — the animal
  9. last — to go on
  10. tube — a container
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. last — finally
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pound — for dogs

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