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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 116 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: staff · craft · current · face · wind · cue · prune · dip

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wind — moving air
  4. staff — employees
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — boats
  8. face — part of the head
  9. cue — a hint
  10. dip — to sink
  11. current — happening now
  12. face — to point toward
  13. cue — for pool
  14. prune — to trim
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. cue — a signal
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. current — of water
  21. wind — moving air
  22. face — to confront
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. prune — to trim

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