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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 120 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. suit — clothes
  3. current — electric
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. shower — rain
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. current — of water
  9. cold — an illness
  10. craft — boats
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. current — happening now
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. shower — to wash
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. cold — not warm
  20. suit — to fit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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