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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. kid — child
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. staff — employees
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. fork — in a road
  9. staff — employees
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bass — the fish
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bass — low music
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. staff — a stick
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. mark — a trace

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