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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 120 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. ball — a great time
  3. current — electric
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. rock — a stone
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. current — happening now
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. bat — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ball — a dance
  20. plane — a tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. squash — to crush
  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