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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. current — happening now
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. saw — the tool
  5. current — electric
  6. rush — hurry
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. saw — the tool
  15. tube — a container
  16. tube — the underground
  17. plane — a tool
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. perch — the fish
  23. current — of water
  24. perch — for a bird

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