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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 120 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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. sharp — clever
  3. craft — boats
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. charge — in control
  6. scale — in music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. scale — size or range
  11. plane — a tool
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. stock — goods
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stock — shares
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. charge — a price
  24. stock — a soup base

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