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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: bay · mark · current · game · sharp · court · toast · plane

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. current — of water
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. game — a match
  8. plane — a tool
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. current — electric
  11. sharp — clever
  12. mark — a trace
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. court — for sport
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. current — happening now
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. toast — bread
  24. mark — a grade

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