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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mate — to breed
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. wound — an injury
  6. club — a group
  7. plane — a tool
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. club — for dancing
  10. wound — an injury
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. mate — a friend
  13. current — happening now
  14. cell — in biology
  15. mate — a partner
  16. cell — a phone
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. club — for golf
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. stock — shares
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stock — goods

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