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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. saw — the tool
  3. key — in music
  4. stand — to bear
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. key — for a lock
  7. current — electric
  8. craft — a skill
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. bank — for money
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. file — a line of people
  15. current — of water
  16. key — the most important part
  17. craft — boats
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. file — a tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. current — happening now
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. file — a document
  24. stand — on your feet

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