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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. present — a gift
  3. plane — a tool
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. object — a thing
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. object — an aim
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — from crying
  11. current — happening now
  12. firm — decided
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. current — of water
  16. present — the time now
  17. firm — steady
  18. current — electric
  19. object — to protest
  20. firm — a company
  21. present — there
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. tear — to rip
  24. coach — a trainer

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