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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. current — of water
  3. court — of a king
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. craft — a skill
  7. staff — employees
  8. craft — boats
  9. staff — a stick
  10. kid — child
  11. current — happening now
  12. court — for sport
  13. bass — the fish
  14. current — electric
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bass — low music
  17. staff — employees
  18. court — of law

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