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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mine — for digging
  3. current — of water
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. current — happening now
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. shower — rain
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. shower — to wash
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. tear — from crying
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. track — to keep track
  16. track — a path
  17. tear — from crying
  18. current — electric
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. tear — to rip
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. nail — for a hammer

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