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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · leaves · craft · rule · bear · current · chip · row

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. chip — for betting
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bear — the animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. current — electric
  9. row — a line
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rule — a law
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rule — government
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. current — happening now
  17. chip — to eat
  18. current — of water
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. row — to paddle
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chip — in a computer

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