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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. current — electric
  3. fine — all right
  4. shower — rain
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. craft — boats
  8. current — happening now
  9. wake — a trail
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fine — high quality
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — to get on
  16. shower — to wash
  17. current — of water
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. board — a committee
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. suit — to fit
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. ball — a dance

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