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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: current · chip · fork · shower · calf · vault · degree · firm

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. shower — rain
  3. firm — steady
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fork — in a road
  11. degree — an amount
  12. vault — a safe
  13. chip — to eat
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. current — happening now
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. shower — to wash
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. degree — temperature
  20. firm — a company
  21. current — electric
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. firm — decided
  24. degree — from a university

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