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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. current — happening now
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. mug — a cup
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. content — the amount
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. content — happy
  14. face — part of the head
  15. mug — a face
  16. plane — a tool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. face — to confront
  20. mug — to rob
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. face — to point toward
  23. current — electric
  24. stem — a stem cell

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