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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: staff · firm · bark · current · craft · tube · mark · spring

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mark — a trace
  4. current — of water
  5. current — happening now
  6. firm — a company
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. firm — steady
  10. staff — employees
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. spring — a coil
  13. staff — a stick
  14. spring — the season
  15. craft — boats
  16. spring — of water
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. current — electric
  19. staff — employees
  20. firm — decided
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bark — of a tree

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