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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. current — of water
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pound — a weight
  9. kick — in football
  10. current — happening now
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. mark — a grade
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. band — a music group
  17. suit — to fit
  18. lean — thin
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mark — a trace
  21. current — electric
  22. plane — a tool
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. band — a ring

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