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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. suit — clothes
  3. rock — music
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. current — of water
  6. rock — a stone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wind — moving air
  9. prune — to trim
  10. craft — a skill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. craft — boats
  17. wind — moving air
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. suit — to fit
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — electric

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