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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  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. staff — a stick
  2. mate — to breed
  3. march — the month
  4. rule — a law
  5. current — electric
  6. swing — music
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. current — happening now
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. march — the month
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. staff — employees
  15. swing — in golf
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — a partner
  20. march — music
  21. lean — thin
  22. rule — government
  23. staff — employees
  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