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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pop — soda
  3. wound — an injury
  4. pop — to visit
  5. suit — to fit
  6. current — electric
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rule — government
  9. plane — a tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. current — of water
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pop — music
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wake — a trail
  22. current — happening now
  23. rule — a law
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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