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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.

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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: safe · cap · shower · craft · board · current · stand · stick

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. cap — a hat
  4. cap — of ice
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. board — to get on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. current — happening now
  10. shower — to wash
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. board — a committee
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. cap — a lid
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. craft — boats
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stand — to bear

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