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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.

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 · mine · rock · current · club · pit · plane · perch

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. rock — music
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. object — a thing
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. club — for dancing
  8. plane — a tool
  9. current — electric
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. object — to protest
  15. current — of water
  16. rock — a stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. object — an aim
  19. perch — the fish
  20. current — happening now
  21. club — for golf
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mine — for digging
  24. club — a group

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