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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. can — a tin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. charge — in control
  8. can — to be able to
  9. rash — a series
  10. fine — all right
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. charge — a price
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. branch — a division
  18. stand — to bear
  19. charge — electricity
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — high quality
  22. can — a tin
  23. plane — a tool
  24. branch — of a tree

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