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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. suit — clothes
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. club — for golf
  7. current — of water
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. club — for dancing
  13. current — happening now
  14. suit — in cards
  15. club — a group
  16. land — ground
  17. land — to come down
  18. content — the amount
  19. current — electric
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. suit — to fit
  22. land — a country
  23. content — happy
  24. date — the fruit

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