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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. stand — to bear
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. plane — a tool
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fork — in a road
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mug — to rob
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. charge — in control
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. track — to keep track
  18. mug — a face
  19. cell — in biology
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. track — a song
  22. charge — a price
  23. track — a path
  24. plane — in geometry

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