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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 116 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stand — to bear
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. current — of water
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. plane — a tool
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tube — a container
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. tube — the underground
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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