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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spring — the season
  3. board — a committee
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. current — electric
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. craft — boats
  11. current — of water
  12. root — of a word
  13. staff — employees
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. spring — a coil
  16. staff — a stick
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. staff — employees
  19. board — to get on
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — the cause
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. spring — of water
  24. current — happening now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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