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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. current — of water
  13. craft — boats
  14. suit — to fit
  15. craft — a skill
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fork — in a road
  18. suit — clothes

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