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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 124 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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. row — to paddle
  3. craft — a skill
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. current — of water
  6. track — a song
  7. row — a line
  8. object — to protest
  9. craft — boats
  10. ground — a position
  11. foot — a measure
  12. object — a thing
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. track — to keep track
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ground — the earth
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. ground — crushed
  22. current — happening now
  23. object — an aim
  24. track — a path

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