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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. tube — the underground
  6. game — wild animals
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. tube — a container
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rush — hurry
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. current — happening now
  16. ball — a dance
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. game — a match
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ball — a great time
  23. current — electric
  24. tube — in a tire

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