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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. tube — a container
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mate — to breed
  9. current — happening now
  10. mate — a partner
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mate — a friend
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bear — the animal
  15. current — electric
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — to fit
  20. saw — the tool
  21. tear — to rip
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. suit — clothes
  24. plane — a tool

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