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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: current · spell · cap · arm · drill · calf · wave · kick

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. current — of water
  3. drill — the tool
  4. spell — letters
  5. kick — in football
  6. spell — a short time
  7. cap — of ice
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. drill — army training
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. current — happening now
  14. spell — magic
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. drill — a practice
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cap — a lid
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. cap — a hat
  24. current — electric

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