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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  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. last — finally
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — for golf
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — a line
  9. lean — thin
  10. last — to go on
  11. current — electric
  12. club — a group
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — final
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. lean — to bend
  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