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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. last — to go on
  5. current — happening now
  6. cap — of ice
  7. current — of water
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pop — soda
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. cap — a lid
  13. last — finally
  14. pop — to visit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pop — music
  22. mate — a partner
  23. last — final
  24. current — electric

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