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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: toast · current · calf · kid · suit · racket · board · rush

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. current — happening now
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. toast — bread
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. suit — to fit
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. kid — child
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rush — hurry
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. current — electric
  17. suit — clothes
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. current — of water

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