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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. current — happening now
  4. squash — to crush
  5. season — of the year
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cue — a hint
  12. saw — the tool
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. cue — for pool
  15. current — of water
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. cue — a signal
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. saw — the tool
  23. season — in sport
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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