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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. current — electric
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bound — tied together
  7. current — of water
  8. pop — soda
  9. current — happening now
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. craft — boats
  14. staff — employees
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bank — of a river
  17. staff — employees
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bound — certain
  20. pop — music
  21. bank — for money
  22. bark — to shout
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bank — for money

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