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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 120 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
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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: tear · mine · foot · current · rash · plane · fan · mug

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. tear — from crying
  3. foot — a measure
  4. mug — a face
  5. rash — hasty
  6. tear — to rip
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mine — for digging
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rash — a series
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. current — of water
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. plane — a tool
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mug — a cup

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