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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. drill — army training
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. can — a tin
  5. pound — a weight
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bark — to shout
  11. charge — electricity
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. chip — to eat
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. drill — the tool
  22. can — to be able to
  23. can — a tin
  24. charge — in control

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