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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.

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: current · hide · rock · fork · craft · last · file · leaves

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rock — music
  4. current — happening now
  5. file — a tool
  6. last — finally
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. last — to go on
  9. rock — a stone
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. last — final
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. fork — in a road
  19. file — a document
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. file — a line of people
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. craft — a skill

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