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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. sharp — clever
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. current — electric
  5. rush — hurry
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. current — of water
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. craft — boats
  16. bear — the animal
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. current — happening now
  20. branch — a division
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  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