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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mug — a face
  4. suit — to fit
  5. ball — a dance
  6. game — a match
  7. chest — of your body
  8. current — happening now
  9. chest — a box
  10. current — electric
  11. craft — a skill
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. mug — to rob
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mate — a partner
  16. ball — a great time
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mate — to breed
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. game — wild animals
  21. current — of water
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mug — a cup
  24. suit — in cards

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