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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.

Make a worksheet

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: object · current · wave · roll · swing · plane · rock · chair

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. plane — a tool
  3. object — an aim
  4. chair — a leader
  5. swing — to play on
  6. current — happening now
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. roll — a cake
  15. swing — music
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. swing — in golf
  18. object — a thing
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. roll — a list
  21. current — electric
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. object — to protest

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