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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. current — of water
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. band — a music group
  5. fork — in a road
  6. present — the time now
  7. present — a gift
  8. craft — boats
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. current — happening now
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. current — electric
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. present — there
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. band — a ring

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