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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 120 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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rest — a break
  4. swing — to play on
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — decided
  9. swing — music
  10. land — ground
  11. firm — steady
  12. swing — in golf
  13. rest — what's left
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — in cards
  19. craft — boats
  20. land — to come down
  21. firm — a company
  22. suit — to fit
  23. land — a country
  24. current — of water

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