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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. fork — in a road
  3. key — in music
  4. firm — a company
  5. tube — the underground
  6. row — a line
  7. firm — steady
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. current — happening now
  11. tube — a container
  12. row — to paddle
  13. current — electric
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. key — for a lock
  17. firm — decided
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. key — the most important part
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pass — a permit

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