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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 120 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 · wind · last · bear · stick · craft · shower · present

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. present — there
  3. current — of water
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. present — the time now
  6. craft — a skill
  7. shower — rain
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. present — a gift
  11. last — final
  12. current — electric
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. last — to go on
  18. last — finally
  19. wind — moving air
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. shower — to wash
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. current — happening now
  24. bear — the animal

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