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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. current — of water
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. craft — a skill
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fine — high quality
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. land — a country
  16. land — ground
  17. fine — all right
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. land — to come down
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. current — happening now

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