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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. saw — the tool
  3. craft — a skill
  4. current — electric
  5. object — a thing
  6. wind — moving air
  7. mug — a face
  8. present — there
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mug — to rob
  12. mug — a cup
  13. current — happening now
  14. object — to protest
  15. bore — to drill
  16. object — an aim
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — to tire
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. craft — boats
  21. present — a gift
  22. current — of water
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wind — to turn a key

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