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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. last — to go on
  4. stand — to bear
  5. game — wild animals
  6. last — finally
  7. cap — a hat
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — a tool
  11. craft — boats
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. last — final
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cap — a lid
  18. object — to protest
  19. charge — a price
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cap — of ice
  23. game — a match
  24. charge — in control

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