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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 116 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: bark · object · current · craft · chip · mate · mug · cue

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mug — a face
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mug — to rob
  5. craft — boats
  6. current — of water
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. bark — to shout
  13. mate — a friend
  14. chip — for betting
  15. object — an aim
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mug — a cup
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. chip — to eat
  22. object — to protest
  23. current — happening now
  24. object — a thing

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