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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. track — a song
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. club — for dancing
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. club — for golf
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. track — a path
  14. club — a group
  15. stem — to come from
  16. chair — a leader
  17. current — happening now
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. current — electric
  23. plane — a tool
  24. track — to keep track

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