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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: plane · rock · rash · rest · bear · charge · swing · current

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. current — electric
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rock — music
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rash — hasty
  7. charge — electricity
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — in golf
  12. rash — a series
  13. rest — what's left
  14. charge — in control
  15. current — happening now
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rest — a break
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. rock — a stone
  22. charge — a price
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. current — of water

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