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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.

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 · wave · deal · calf · content · nail · pop · safe

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. current — electric
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. content — the amount
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. current — happening now
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pop — to visit
  23. current — of water
  24. content — videos and posts

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