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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 120 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
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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: fine · current · rock · craft · bay · wound · fork · mate

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. mate — to breed
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. wound — an injury
  9. current — of water
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fork — in a road
  15. current — happening now
  16. craft — boats
  17. fine — high quality
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. rock — music
  21. current — electric
  22. wound — an injury
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. rock — a stone

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