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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: lie · craft · calf · jam · capital · snap · foot · current

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. craft — boats
  3. foot — a measure
  4. current — electric
  5. current — happening now
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. current — of water
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. lie — to recline
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. capital — a city
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. snap — to click
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. jam — a tight spot

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