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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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. toast — bread
  5. bound — certain
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. file — a document
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bound — tied together
  14. deal — to handle
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. current — electric
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. file — a tool
  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