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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making 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. plane — a tool
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. game — wild animals
  5. lie — to recline
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. capital — money
  9. fall — the season
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. charge — a price
  14. mate — to breed
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. fall — to drop
  17. game — a match
  18. capital — a city
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. charge — in control
  21. fall — to drop
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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