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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: leaves · object · plane · season · snap · present · rash · current

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rash — hasty
  5. object — an aim
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. present — a gift
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. object — to protest
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. season — in sport
  13. rash — a series
  14. object — a thing
  15. current — electric
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. present — there
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — of water
  20. plane — a tool
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. present — the time now
  23. season — of the year
  24. snap — to click

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