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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bulb — for light
  3. current — electric
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. wound — an injury
  10. track — to keep track
  11. current — happening now
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. bat — the animal
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. track — a song
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. track — a path
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. current — of water
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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