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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. board — a committee
  3. ball — a dance
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — from crying
  7. current — electric
  8. rock — a stone
  9. craft — boats
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. board — to get on
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. tear — to rip
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. ball — a great time
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rock — music
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. craft — a skill

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