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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. club — for golf
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. spell — magic
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. suit — clothes
  7. current — of water
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. current — electric
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. spell — a short time
  13. plane — a tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. sharp — clever
  19. club — for dancing
  20. spell — letters
  21. current — happening now
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. club — a group
  24. plane — in geometry

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