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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fine — high quality
  3. chest — a box
  4. craft — a skill
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. current — happening now
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. fine — all right
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bulb — for light
  14. mine — for digging
  15. suit — to fit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. current — of water
  18. chest — of your body
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. current — electric
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. chest — of your body

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