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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.

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: plane · rash · leaves · row · current · spell · ground · lean

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. lean — thin
  4. row — to paddle
  5. ground — the earth
  6. lean — to bend
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. ground — crushed
  9. current — of water
  10. rash — hasty
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. row — a line
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. ground — a position
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rash — a series
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. spell — a short time
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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