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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: content · stand · fan · root · current · sharp · tear · craft

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. current — happening now
  11. content — happy
  12. tear — to rip
  13. root — the cause
  14. tear — from crying
  15. content — the amount
  16. sharp — clever
  17. craft — a skill
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. tear — from crying
  20. root — of a word
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. root — of a plant

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