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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: mate · craft · bound · leaves · chip · press · current · bark

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. press — to push
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. press — newspapers
  7. current — happening now
  8. bound — tied together
  9. current — electric
  10. current — of water
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. craft — boats
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bark — to shout
  20. mate — a friend
  21. chip — to eat
  22. press — a publisher
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. chip — for betting

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