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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.

Make a worksheet

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: current · fan · straw · arm · kick · deal · can · plane

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. current — of water
  4. plane — a tool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. kick — in football
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. can — a tin
  9. current — happening now
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. can — a tin
  12. current — electric
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. can — to be able to
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. deal — to handle
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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