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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. charge — in control
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. club — for dancing
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — to push
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. charge — electricity
  11. press — a publisher
  12. charge — a price
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. club — a group
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wake — a trail
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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