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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: land · rock · current · bowl · suit · club · cold · plane

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rock — a stone
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. current — happening now
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. current — of water
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. club — for dancing
  11. suit — in cards
  12. land — to come down
  13. current — electric
  14. cold — not warm
  15. land — a country
  16. club — a group
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. plane — a tool
  19. club — for golf
  20. cold — an illness
  21. rock — music
  22. land — ground
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. suit — clothes

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