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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 116 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 · cap · mug · fine · squash · plane · spell

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. cap — of ice
  3. fine — high quality
  4. spell — magic
  5. mug — a cup
  6. spell — a short time
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. current — of water
  12. plane — a tool
  13. squash — to crush
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. cap — a hat
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. mug — to rob
  19. current — electric
  20. current — happening now
  21. spell — letters
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. mug — a face
  24. cap — a lid

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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