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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.

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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. craft — a skill
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pass — a permit
  8. press — newspapers
  9. press — to push
  10. prune — to trim
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. press — a publisher
  13. craft — boats
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. current — of water
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cue — a hint
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. cue — a signal
  22. cue — for pool
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. current — electric

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