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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. current — electric
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. file — a tool
  10. current — of water
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. current — happening now
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. file — a document
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bear — the animal

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