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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.

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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: swing · can · net · fork · saw · current · mouse · plane

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. net — for catching
  5. current — happening now
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. swing — music
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. can — a tin
  13. saw — the tool
  14. swing — to play on
  15. net — after costs
  16. can — a tin
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fork — in a road
  20. can — to be able to
  21. saw — the tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. swing — in golf

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