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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. current — happening now
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. craft — boats
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mate — a partner
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. degree — temperature
  14. scale — in music
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. current — of water
  18. mate — a friend
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. current — electric
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mate — to breed
  23. degree — an amount
  24. board — to get on

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