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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: bay · current · cabinet · calf · net · march · swing · snap

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. net — for catching
  3. current — of water
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. march — the month
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. swing — music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. swing — to play on
  11. march — the month
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. current — electric
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. swing — in golf
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. snap — to click
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. march — music
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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