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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. current — electric
  3. craft — a skill
  4. field — farmland
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. bound — obliged
  8. field — for sport
  9. tube — the underground
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. current — of water
  12. branch — a division
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bound — certain
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. field — a subject
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. bound — tied together
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. craft — boats
  24. current — happening now

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