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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. rock — a stone
  4. charge — electricity
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. cold — not warm
  7. rock — music
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cold — an illness
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. charge — a price
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. charge — in control
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. calf — a young animal

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