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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 geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. club — for dancing
  4. plane — a tool
  5. club — a group
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. current — electric
  9. wake — a trail
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. fork — in a road
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. current — happening now
  14. bulb — for light
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. capital — money
  17. current — of water
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. capital — a city
  20. club — for golf
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. fork — to eat with

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