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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · press · craft · court · perch · lash · calf · file

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. file — a line of people
  3. court — of a king
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. current — electric
  9. press — a publisher
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. current — happening now
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. file — a document
  14. press — to push
  15. perch — the fish
  16. current — of water
  17. craft — a skill
  18. press — newspapers
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. court — of law
  22. craft — boats
  23. court — for sport
  24. file — a tool

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