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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: mine · current · ball · row · swing · hide · craft · bear

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. swing — in golf
  3. current — of water
  4. row — a line
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. craft — boats
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. ball — a dance
  10. row — to paddle
  11. mine — for digging
  12. current — electric
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. swing — to play on
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. current — happening now
  23. ball — a great time
  24. swing — music

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