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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. 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. fork — to eat with
  2. fork — in a road
  3. tube — the underground
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fall — to drop
  7. current — happening now
  8. craft — a skill
  9. fall — to drop
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. current — electric
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. tube — a container
  16. fall — the season
  17. craft — boats
  18. 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