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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: bat · current · plane · rush · cell · fan · last · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — of water
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — finally
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cell — a phone
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. last — final
  16. bat — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. cell — in biology
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — hurry
  23. current — electric
  24. bat — in an idiom

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