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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. charge — a price
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — a line
  12. mark — a trace
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bark — to shout
  16. current — of water
  17. mark — a grade
  18. charge — in control
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. row — to paddle

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