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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mate — a friend
  3. current — of water
  4. firm — steady
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. firm — decided
  7. mate — to breed
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cell — in biology
  12. rash — a series
  13. current — electric
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. firm — a company
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rash — hasty
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cell — a phone
  22. current — happening now
  23. mate — a partner
  24. cell — in a prison

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