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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 116 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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. net — after costs
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. cue — a hint
  5. sharp — clever
  6. current — of water
  7. plane — a tool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. cue — for pool
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. net — in sport
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. current — happening now
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. net — for catching
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. saw — the tool
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. cue — a signal
  23. current — electric
  24. saw — the tool

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