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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. craft — a skill
  3. net — after costs
  4. suit — to fit
  5. game — wild animals
  6. board — a committee
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. bound — tied together
  9. current — of water
  10. bound — obliged
  11. net — for catching
  12. current — happening now
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bound — certain
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. wax — to grow
  17. suit — clothes
  18. board — to get on
  19. net — in sport
  20. suit — in cards
  21. current — electric
  22. game — a match
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. craft — boats

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