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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. current — electric
  3. current — of water
  4. row — to paddle
  5. craft — boats
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. fine — all right
  9. swing — to play on
  10. present — a gift
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. tube — a container
  13. swing — in golf
  14. current — happening now
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fine — high quality
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. present — there
  20. swing — music
  21. tube — the underground
  22. craft — a skill
  23. present — the time now
  24. craft — a handicraft

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