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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: calf · rush · current · cap · rash · rock · band · court

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. current — electric
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. cap — of ice
  9. band — a ring
  10. current — of water
  11. cap — a lid
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. band — a music group
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. cap — a hat
  23. court — of a king
  24. rush — hurry

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