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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. current — electric
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. charge — in control
  8. rock — music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. last — final
  11. spell — magic
  12. deal — to handle
  13. spell — a short time
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. current — of water
  16. plane — a tool
  17. snap — to click
  18. spell — letters
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. current — happening now
  23. rock — a stone
  24. last — finally

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