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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. degree — temperature
  5. current — of water
  6. craft — a skill
  7. perch — the fish
  8. current — happening now
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. current — electric
  14. present — a gift
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. degree — an amount
  17. present — there
  18. board — a committee
  19. craft — boats
  20. degree — from a university
  21. present — the time now
  22. board — to get on
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. nail — on a finger

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