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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. craft — a skill
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. court — of a king
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. pass — a permit
  8. craft — boats
  9. current — electric
  10. court — of law
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bark — to shout
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bear — the animal
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. court — for sport
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. current — happening now
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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