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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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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: rule · current · craft · fork · bear · cue

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — boats
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rule — government
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. rule — a law
  13. current — of water
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cue — for pool
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rule — to rule out

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