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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: pound · pitcher · bore · can · wake · current · safe · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bore — to drill
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — boats
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — electric
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wake — a trail
  14. can — a tin
  15. craft — a skill
  16. current — happening now
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pound — a weight
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. current — of water

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