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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. charge — electricity
  6. object — to protest
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — moving air
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. charge — a price
  15. pass — a permit
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. object — an aim
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. plane — a tool
  21. charge — in control
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. toast — bread
  24. plane — an aircraft

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