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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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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 · lash · mate · club · bay · current · wound · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. club — for golf
  7. current — of water
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. mate — to breed
  10. current — electric
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. club — a group
  17. craft — boats
  18. mate — a partner
  19. current — happening now
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lash — to lash 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