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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: sharp · current · lie · date · firm · kid · calf · wax

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. firm — steady
  4. date — the fruit
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lie — to recline
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. current — happening now
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. kid — to tease
  19. kid — child
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. firm — a company
  23. wax — to grow
  24. calf — a young animal

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