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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. current — electric
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bulb — for light
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. current — of water
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. squash — to crush
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. drill — army training
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. current — happening now
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. drill — the tool
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. bulb — for light
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. drill — a practice
  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