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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. cap — of ice
  3. current — of water
  4. plane — a tool
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. ball — a great time
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. cap — a lid
  13. hand — in cards
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hand — help
  17. cap — a hat
  18. rush — hurry
  19. ball — a dance
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. current — electric
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. leaves — lets stay

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