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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. current — happening now
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. current — electric
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. suit — clothes
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mate — a partner
  13. current — of water
  14. wind — moving air
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rush — hurry
  17. row — a line
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. row — to paddle
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rush — a thrill

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