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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 is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. charge — in control
  6. season — of the year
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. charge — electricity
  10. season — in sport
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. sharp — clever
  17. track — a path
  18. hand — in cards
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. charge — a price
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. track — to keep track
  24. hand — help

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