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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 · rest · fan · mouse · current · court · race · present

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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. present — there
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. race — the arms race
  8. present — a gift
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. rest — what's left
  12. current — electric
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. race — a contest
  15. current — happening now
  16. rest — a break
  17. present — the time now
  18. race — humankind
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. court — for sport
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. plane — a tool

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