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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. current — of water
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. craft — boats
  5. board — to get on
  6. current — electric
  7. drill — a practice
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. fine — all right
  10. board — a committee
  11. drill — army training
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. drill — the tool
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — a grade
  19. sharp — clever
  20. current — happening now
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. sharp — with an edge

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