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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: wake · perch · plane · current · court · bay · lash · object

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. current — happening now
  5. court — for sport
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. object — a thing
  9. perch — the fish
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. court — of law
  15. object — to protest
  16. court — of a king
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. object — an aim
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. current — electric
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. wake — a trail

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