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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. current — electric
  3. current — happening now
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. bear — the animal
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. sharp — clever
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mug — a face
  12. craft — boats
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mug — a cup
  19. current — of water
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  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