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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 116 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: ground · current · pitcher · squash · spell · bat · can · plane

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. current — electric
  3. squash — the sport
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spell — magic
  7. squash — to crush
  8. spell — letters
  9. ground — a position
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. can — a tin
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. can — a tin
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. current — happening now
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. current — of water
  22. ground — the earth
  23. can — to be able to
  24. spell — a short time

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