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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. current — happening now
  4. craft — a skill
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. current — of water
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. craft — boats
  12. charge — a price
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. season — of the year
  15. current — electric
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. charge — electricity
  21. season — in sport
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pitcher — a jug

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