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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. charge — a price
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. can — a tin
  9. spell — magic
  10. sharp — clever
  11. toast — bread
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. plane — a tool
  16. can — to be able to
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cap — a lid
  19. charge — electricity
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. cap — a hat
  22. cap — of ice
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. can — a tin

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