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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. can — a tin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bark — to shout
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. can — to be able to
  12. can — a tin
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. current — electric
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. current — happening now
  19. firm — a company
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. firm — decided
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. wind — moving air

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