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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. craft — a skill
  3. row — a line
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. tube — the underground
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. tube — a container
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. current — electric
  12. board — to get on
  13. club — for dancing
  14. row — to paddle
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. scale — size or range
  18. club — a group
  19. board — a committee
  20. club — for golf
  21. craft — boats
  22. scale — in music
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. jam — in traffic

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