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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. last — finally
  3. lean — thin
  4. charge — a price
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. plane — a tool
  7. staff — employees
  8. race — humankind
  9. face — to confront
  10. last — to go on
  11. march — music
  12. face — to point toward
  13. lean — to bend
  14. race — the arms race
  15. face — part of the head
  16. charge — electricity
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. race — a contest
  20. march — the month
  21. last — final
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. march — the month
  24. lean — to rest against

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