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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rock — music
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bound — obliged
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. bound — tied together
  7. current — happening now
  8. current — of water
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bound — certain
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. kick — in football
  14. fine — all right
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. fine — high quality
  21. rock — a stone
  22. current — electric
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — to fit

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