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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. bulb — for light
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. court — of law
  14. current — happening now
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. current — of water
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. court — for sport
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. court — of a king
  23. bear — the animal
  24. straw — a straw man

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