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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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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. squash — to crush
  6. charge — in control
  7. ground — a position
  8. tube — a container
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cell — in biology
  11. ground — the earth
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. charge — electricity
  14. tube — the underground
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. charge — a price
  17. plane — a tool
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ground — crushed
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. tube — in a tire

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