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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.

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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: foot · current · fork · swing · plane · wake · net · can

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. swing — in golf
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. fork — in a road
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. foot — a measure
  14. wake — a trail
  15. current — of water
  16. swing — music
  17. can — a tin
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. can — to be able to
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. swing — to play on
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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