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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: fine · bore · wound · root · straw · sharp · current · craft

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. current — of water
  5. bore — to drill
  6. root — of a plant
  7. wound — an injury
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. craft — a skill
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. current — happening now
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fine — all right
  15. craft — boats
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. wound — an injury
  18. root — the cause
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bore — to tire
  22. root — of a word
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. current — electric

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