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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: leaves · straw · net · fan · mark · bark · current · craft

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mark — a grade
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. current — electric
  11. craft — a skill
  12. current — of water
  13. net — in sport
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. craft — boats
  16. current — happening now
  17. bark — to shout
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. net — after costs
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. net — for catching
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fan — to cool the air

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