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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. tube — a container
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. charge — in control
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. plane — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. tube — the underground
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mine — for digging
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. sharp — clever
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. charge — electricity
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. charge — a price
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. row — to paddle
  24. row — a line

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