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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bass — low music
  4. row — a line
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. firm — a company
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bass — the fish
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. current — happening now
  13. row — to paddle
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. current — of water
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. firm — steady
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. firm — decided
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. branch — a division
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. current — electric

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