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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 120 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'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bass — the fish
  3. plane — a tool
  4. season — of the year
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. current — of water
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bass — low music
  12. season — in sport
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. row — a line
  17. current — happening now
  18. pit — a hole
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. current — electric
  21. branch — a division
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pit — in a race
  24. tube — a container

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