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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: row · nail · current · ball · plane · mate · hand · stem

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. stem — to come from
  3. current — of water
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. mate — a partner
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. current — happening now
  14. mate — a friend
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. row — a line
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ball — a dance
  20. row — to paddle
  21. ball — a great time
  22. hand — help
  23. mate — to breed
  24. current — electric

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