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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
468
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: craft · wake · fall · current · key · mark · leaves · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. fall — the season
  3. craft — boats
  4. key — for a lock
  5. wake — a trail
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. key — the most important part
  9. fall — to drop
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. fall — to drop
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mark — a trace
  15. craft — a skill
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. mark — a grade
  20. current — happening now
  21. key — in music
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. current — of water

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