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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: hand · craft · stick · mine · board · current · arm · firm

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. firm — steady
  4. current — electric
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. current — happening now
  7. hand — help
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. current — of water
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. mine — for digging
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. craft — boats
  20. hand — in cards
  21. firm — decided
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. board — to get on
  24. firm — a company

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