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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · staff · current · fall · wind · craft

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. fall — to drop
  3. wind — moving air
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — a skill
  9. track — a song
  10. current — of water
  11. fall — to drop
  12. track — a path
  13. track — to keep track
  14. staff — employees
  15. wind — moving air
  16. craft — boats
  17. current — happening now
  18. fall — the season

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