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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. current — electric
  3. bank — of a river
  4. bat — the animal
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — for money
  11. current — of water
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bank — for money
  14. fine — high quality
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. plane — a tool
  24. current — happening now

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