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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. current — of water
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. game — a match
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. plane — a tool
  18. craft — boats
  19. current — electric
  20. game — wild animals
  21. swing — to play on
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. hide — to keep secret

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