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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. spell — magic
  4. court — for sport
  5. charge — in control
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. court — of law
  10. charge — electricity
  11. plane — a tool
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. spell — letters
  14. bark — to shout
  15. spell — a short time
  16. current — happening now
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. court — of a king
  21. current — electric
  22. current — of water
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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