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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mine · foot · pass · track · craft · arm · leaves · current

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mine — for digging
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. track — a path
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a skill
  18. current — of water
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pass — a permit
  22. track — a song
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pass — to spend time

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