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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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. suit — to fit
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. lean — thin
  5. craft — boats
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bound — tied together
  11. suit — in cards
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. bound — certain
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. bound — obliged
  19. current — electric
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mark — a grade
  22. object — an aim
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mark — a trace

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