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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. charge — a price
  4. mate — a friend
  5. hand — help
  6. race — the arms race
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — a contest
  9. mate — to breed
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — a permit
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — the time now
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. present — there
  20. plane — a tool
  21. charge — in control
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. charge — electricity

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