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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: plane · season · current · bulb · fall · hide · band · suit

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. current — of water
  4. season — in sport
  5. fall — the season
  6. suit — to fit
  7. season — of the year
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bulb — for light
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. suit — clothes
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. current — electric
  16. band — a ring
  17. fall — to drop
  18. current — happening now
  19. plane — a tool
  20. band — a music group
  21. bulb — for light
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. band — a rubber band

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