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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 116 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. charge — electricity
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. charge — in control
  10. sharp — clever
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. suit — in cards
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bass — the fish
  16. charge — a price
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. vault — a safe
  20. fork — in a road
  21. suit — to fit
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bass — low music
  24. fork — to eat with

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