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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. pop — to visit
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. tube — a container
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fine — all right
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. wake — a trail
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fine — high quality
  17. last — finally
  18. last — to go on
  19. current — happening now
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. plane — a tool
  22. current — of water
  23. current — electric
  24. hide — to keep secret

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