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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. current — of water
  5. present — there
  6. drill — army training
  7. bear — the animal
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. current — electric
  11. drill — a practice
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. present — a gift
  18. drill — the tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. present — the time now
  24. plane — in geometry

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