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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: craft · current · mate · net · bay · fan · lean · hide

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mate — a friend
  3. net — after costs
  4. current — of water
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. current — electric
  9. mate — to breed
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lean — to bend
  14. current — happening now
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. mate — a partner
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. net — in sport
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. craft — boats
  24. lean — thin

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