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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: current · craft · pit · mug · stand · suit · cold · fork

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. current — of water
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mug — to rob
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. craft — a skill
  10. mug — a face
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pit — a hole
  13. craft — boats
  14. suit — in cards
  15. cold — not warm
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. current — electric
  20. cold — an illness
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — in a road
  24. current — happening now

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