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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — a price
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. charge — electricity
  5. drill — the tool
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. drill — a practice
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. plane — a tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. can — to be able to
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. can — a tin
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. tear — to rip
  18. sharp — clever
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. charge — in control
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — from crying
  23. drill — army training
  24. sharp — with an edge

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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