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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. sharp — clever
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. club — for dancing
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — a price
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. tube — a container
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. club — for golf
  14. lie — to recline
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. deal — to handle
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. club — a group
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. plane — a tool

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