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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — happening now
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. plane — a tool
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bass — low music
  12. bass — the fish
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. current — electric
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. leaves — to go away

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