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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
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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: straw · calf · mouse · current · sharp · stand · spring · cue

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. spring — of water
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — for pool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. spring — the season
  13. cue — a signal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. stand — to bear
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. current — electric
  21. current — happening now
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. current — of water
  24. mouse — the 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