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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. craft — boats
  4. current — electric
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. bank — of a river
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. branch — a division
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bank — for money
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. ball — a great time
  24. wake — a trail

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