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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. spell — a short time
  5. current — of water
  6. rash — a series
  7. cue — a signal
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. spell — letters
  13. rash — hasty
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. spell — magic
  18. plane — a tool
  19. cue — for pool
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. cue — a hint
  23. mine — for digging
  24. leaves — to go away

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