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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: shower · plane · current · toast · racket · kick · suit · spring

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. toast — bread
  3. spring — the season
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. shower — to wash
  10. shower — rain
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. spring — of water
  13. suit — clothes
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. suit — to fit
  16. current — of water
  17. plane — a tool
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. spring — a coil
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. suit — in cards
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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