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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. current — of water
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to point toward
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. current — happening now
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. club — for dancing
  12. face — to confront
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. club — for golf
  15. plane — a tool
  16. current — electric
  17. club — a group
  18. plane — an aircraft

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