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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pitch — completely
  4. craft — a skill
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ground — a position
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. season — of the year
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. ground — the earth
  14. season — in sport
  15. current — happening now
  16. board — a committee
  17. mine — for digging
  18. ground — crushed
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. craft — boats
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. current — of water

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