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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bass — the fish
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. current — electric
  8. fall — the season
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. bass — low music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. fall — to drop
  15. current — of water
  16. mate — a friend
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mate — a partner
  20. fall — to drop
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of a car

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