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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. charge — in control
  3. fine — all right
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pop — music
  9. charge — a price
  10. fall — to drop
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. current — happening now
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. current — of water
  15. pop — soda
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. plane — a tool
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. current — electric
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pop — to visit
  23. bass — low music
  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