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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pop — to visit
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. current — happening now
  7. bass — the fish
  8. row — a line
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. current — electric
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — in football
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pop — soda
  16. spell — magic
  17. current — of water
  18. pop — music
  19. bass — low music
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. spell — letters
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. craft — boats

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