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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.

Make a worksheet

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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. current — of water
  3. board — a committee
  4. craft — a skill
  5. can — a tin
  6. root — of a word
  7. can — to be able to
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. row — to paddle
  10. current — electric
  11. board — to get on
  12. root — the cause
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. craft — boats
  18. root — of a plant
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. row — a line
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. can — a tin
  23. current — happening now
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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