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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. hand — help
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. branch — a division
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — electricity
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. plane — a tool
  15. charge — in control
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. last — to go on
  18. charge — a price
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. last — finally
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. last — final

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