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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: wave · craft · chair · bark · mouse · current · mark · temple

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. current — of water
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mark — a trace
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. current — electric
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. chair — a leader
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. current — happening now
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bark — to shout
  23. mark — a grade
  24. craft — boats

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