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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 120 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spring — of water
  3. spring — a coil
  4. current — of water
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. craft — a skill
  9. band — a ring
  10. spell — letters
  11. band — a music group
  12. spell — magic
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. current — happening now
  15. vault — a safe
  16. net — for catching
  17. spell — a short time
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. current — electric
  21. spring — the season
  22. craft — boats
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. band — a rubber band

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