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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.

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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stock — shares
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. current — electric
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. current — happening now
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cap — of ice
  13. ball — a great time
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. last — final
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. cap — a lid
  24. current — of water

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