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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. race — a contest
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. plane — a tool
  6. race — the arms race
  7. date — the fruit
  8. race — humankind
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — shares
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. stock — goods
  20. sharp — clever
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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