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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. bear — the animal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. craft — boats
  9. race — humankind
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bear — the animal
  13. foot — a measure
  14. race — a contest
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. spell — magic
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spell — a short time
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. current — electric
  23. spell — letters
  24. bowl — a football final

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