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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. ball — a great time
  5. present — a gift
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. present — there
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bass — the fish
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. bass — low music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. current — electric
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. current — happening now
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. ball — a dance
  24. present — the time now

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