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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fine — high quality
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. current — of water
  5. cap — a hat
  6. ball — a great time
  7. current — happening now
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fine — all right
  10. ball — a dance
  11. kick — in football
  12. mate — to breed
  13. craft — a skill
  14. mate — a partner
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cap — of ice
  17. swing — to play on
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. swing — in golf
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. current — electric
  22. mate — a friend
  23. swing — music
  24. kick — with a leg

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