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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. fine — all right
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. stand — to bear
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. craft — a skill
  7. degree — an amount
  8. fine — high quality
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. current — electric
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. branch — a division
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — temperature
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — a loud noise

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