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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 120 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. ground — crushed
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. craft — boats
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. current — electric
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. craft — a skill
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. current — happening now
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mark — a trace
  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