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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: game · pop · current · stick · plane · ball · land · trunk

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. current — happening now
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. plane — a tool
  7. land — to come down
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pop — soda
  13. current — electric
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. game — a match
  16. current — of water
  17. pop — to visit
  18. ball — a great time
  19. land — ground
  20. land — a country
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. pop — music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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