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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. current — happening now
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ground — crushed
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ground — a position
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. ground — the earth
  16. craft — boats
  17. scale — size or range
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. scale — in music
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. current — electric
  24. current — of water

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