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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. current — electric
  4. rash — hasty
  5. race — humankind
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. race — the arms race
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. roll — a cake
  12. plane — a tool
  13. stand — to bear
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. roll — a list
  17. rash — a series
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. current — happening now
  23. race — a contest
  24. stand — for spectators

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