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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: ground · calf · bear · bark · nail · scale · current · mouse

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. current — happening now
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. current — of water
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. ground — the earth
  16. scale — size or range
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. current — electric
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. bark — to shout
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bark — of a tree

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