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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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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: rush · craft · fine · ground · bay · land · sharp · current

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. current — happening now
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. craft — boats
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. sharp — clever
  11. fine — high quality
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. ground — a position
  14. land — to come down
  15. current — electric
  16. land — ground
  17. ground — crushed
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fine — all right
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. ground — the earth
  24. current — of water

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