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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: wake · bear · current · roll · spell · craft · board · mouse

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. spell — a short time
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. spell — magic
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wake — a trail
  15. bear — the animal
  16. roll — a cake
  17. bear — the animal
  18. craft — boats
  19. current — happening now
  20. spell — letters
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. roll — a list
  24. roll — on a roll

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