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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: mark · current · bore · row · dip · fine · game · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fine — high quality
  6. game — wild animals
  7. craft — boats
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. fine — all right
  10. current — electric
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. craft — a skill
  16. row — a line
  17. current — of water
  18. row — to paddle
  19. game — a match
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — a trace
  24. current — happening now

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