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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. current — electric
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. current — happening now
  5. hand — help
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pit — in a race
  9. lie — to recline
  10. craft — boats
  11. rush — hurry
  12. band — a music group
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. current — of water
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. firm — decided
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pit — a hole
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. craft — a skill
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. rush — a thrill

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