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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. craft — a skill
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — boats
  8. current — happening now
  9. can — a tin
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. can — to be able to
  12. current — of water
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — for paper
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. clip — to cut
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. craft — a handicraft

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