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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. sharp — clever
  3. charge — a price
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mark — a trace
  9. plane — a tool
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. charge — in control
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. cell — in biology
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cell — a phone
  24. nail — on a finger

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