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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bear — the animal
  4. current — happening now
  5. track — to keep track
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. current — of water
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. track — a path
  10. prune — to trim
  11. craft — boats
  12. track — a song
  13. current — electric
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. net — in sport
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. net — after costs
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. net — for catching
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. bear — the animal

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