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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. last — finally
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. current — electric
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rock — music
  8. last — to go on
  9. current — of water
  10. spring — a coil
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. rock — a stone
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. last — final
  17. spring — the season
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — happening now
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. spring — of water
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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