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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. season — of the year
  3. current — electric
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. pit — in a race
  11. roll — a cake
  12. key — for a lock
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wake — a trail
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pit — a hole
  17. season — in sport
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. current — happening now
  21. key — in music
  22. craft — boats
  23. current — of water
  24. roll — a list

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