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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. charge — in control
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. track — a song
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fine — high quality
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. track — a path
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. charge — a price
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. plane — a tool
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. wax — to grow
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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