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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. rash — a series
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. bark — to shout
  6. rash — hasty
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pop — to visit
  12. track — a song
  13. branch — a division
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pop — music
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. track — a path
  20. pop — soda
  21. current — of water
  22. track — to keep track
  23. current — electric
  24. pitcher — a jug

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