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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. charge — in control
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. last — final
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. charge — a price
  10. land — ground
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. row — to paddle
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. land — a country
  15. charge — electricity
  16. plane — a tool
  17. last — finally
  18. row — a line
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. hand — in cards
  21. land — to come down
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. last — to go on
  24. hand — help

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