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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. current — electric
  5. bear — the animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. tear — from crying
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bound — tied together
  10. craft — boats
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. tear — to rip
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bear — the animal
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. tear — from crying
  18. craft — a skill
  19. current — of water
  20. bound — certain
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. degree — from a university
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bound — obliged

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