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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. shower — rain
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. perch — the fish
  5. shower — to wash
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fine — high quality
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. fine — all right
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. current — electric
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stock — shares
  22. current — happening now
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. plane — a tool

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