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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. current — of water
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. bank — for money
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. fork — in a road
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bank — for money
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. current — electric
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bank — of a river
  16. swing — to play on
  17. plane — a tool
  18. swing — in golf
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rule — a law
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. current — happening now
  24. rule — government

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