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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. plane — a tool
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stem — to come from
  5. current — happening now
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. mine — for digging
  9. current — of water
  10. prune — to trim
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. charge — in control
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — music
  16. prune — to trim
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. charge — a price
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. charge — electricity
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. rock — a stone
  24. plane — an aircraft

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