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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. current — happening now
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. mate — a partner
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pop — soda
  9. content — happy
  10. pop — music
  11. mate — to breed
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. mate — a friend
  14. stem — to come from
  15. content — the amount
  16. current — electric
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. pop — to visit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. current — of water
  24. racket — a loud noise

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