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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bat — the animal
  9. wind — moving air
  10. craft — boats
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bear — the animal
  16. current — happening now
  17. bound — certain
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wind — moving air
  20. root — of a word
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. root — the cause
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. safe — a strongbox

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