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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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rock — a stone
  3. plane — a tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. pass — a permit
  6. game — wild animals
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. charge — in control
  13. track — a path
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rock — music
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. race — a contest
  18. game — a match
  19. race — humankind
  20. charge — electricity
  21. track — a song
  22. race — the arms race
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. game — a kind of play

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