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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 116 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. branch — a division
  3. current — happening now
  4. current — electric
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. current — of water
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pit — in a race
  13. cap — a lid
  14. wind — moving air
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. craft — boats
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. pit — a hole
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. cap — of ice
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

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