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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 · mouse · band · current · field · pound · trunk · leaves

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. band — a ring
  3. current — electric
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. current — happening now
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. field — farmland
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. field — for sport
  17. current — of water
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. field — a subject
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. band — a music group
  24. leaves — to go away

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