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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. file — a line of people
  3. bank — for money
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pound — a weight
  7. plane — a tool
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a document
  13. charge — a price
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. charge — electricity
  17. object — an aim
  18. bank — of a river
  19. object — a thing
  20. charge — in control
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bank — for money
  23. sharp — clever
  24. object — to protest

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