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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. land — a country
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. deal — to handle
  9. current — of water
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. current — happening now
  13. fine — high quality
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. land — ground
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. land — to come down
  19. fine — all right
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. object — to protest
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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