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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.

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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: mark · current · bear · net · file · plane · cabinet · lean

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. net — for catching
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. file — a line of people
  10. net — in sport
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. current — electric
  16. file — a document
  17. current — of water
  18. lean — thin
  19. current — happening now
  20. net — after costs
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. file — a tool

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