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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cap — of ice
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. march — music
  8. fine — all right
  9. march — the month
  10. plane — a tool
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. charge — in control
  13. fine — high quality
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cap — a lid
  16. can — to be able to
  17. charge — a price
  18. can — a tin
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. march — the month
  21. can — a tin
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cap — a hat

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