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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fork — in a road
  5. file — a document
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. current — electric
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a tool
  14. current — of water
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. tube — a container
  17. plane — a tool
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. tube — the underground
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. current — happening now
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. lash — to lash out

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