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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: fall · craft · can · current · stem · perch · sharp · deal

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. can — to be able to
  3. craft — a skill
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. deal — to handle
  9. can — a tin
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. current — electric
  12. fall — the season
  13. current — happening now
  14. fall — to drop
  15. stem — to come from
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. current — of water
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. craft — boats
  22. perch — the fish
  23. fall — to drop
  24. can — a tin

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