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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
468
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: sharp · temple · current · wave · suit · perch · wake · calf

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. suit — in cards
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. current — of water
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. current — electric
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. perch — the fish
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. sharp — clever
  24. current — happening now

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