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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. craft — a skill
  3. current — of water
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. season — of the year
  9. deal — to handle
  10. present — a gift
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. craft — boats
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. season — in sport
  17. current — happening now
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. present — the time now
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. current — electric
  23. fine — all right
  24. fork — in a road

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