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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: deal · mate · rock · plane · current · drill · ground · wake

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. current — happening now
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wake — a trail
  12. ground — crushed
  13. current — electric
  14. ground — the earth
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mate — to breed
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ground — a position
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rock — a stone
  23. deal — to handle
  24. rock — music

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