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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. perch — the fish
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. can — to be able to
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. current — happening now
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. current — electric
  11. pass — a permit
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. rock — a stone
  18. plane — a tool
  19. shower — rain
  20. current — of water
  21. content — the amount
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. content — happy

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