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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. key — in music
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. perch — the fish
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pop — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. current — happening now
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pop — soda
  17. season — of the year
  18. craft — boats
  19. pop — to visit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. season — in sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. bark — to shout

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