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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. current — of water
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cap — a lid
  5. cap — of ice
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rush — hurry
  9. plane — a tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. ball — a great time
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. row — a line
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cap — a hat
  21. current — electric
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. nail — for a hammer

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