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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 120 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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. season — of the year
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. season — in sport
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. rash — hasty
  8. staff — a stick
  9. current — happening now
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. current — electric
  12. bark — to shout
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. plane — a tool
  16. rash — a series
  17. staff — employees
  18. suit — clothes
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. suit — to fit
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — in cards
  24. staff — employees

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