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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. can — a tin
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. can — to be able to
  7. current — electric
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lean — to bend
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. current — happening now
  14. can — a tin
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. wind — moving air
  19. plane — a tool
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. dip — to sink
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. toast — bread

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