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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. track — a path
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. charge — a price
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. chest — of your body
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. squash — to crush
  10. chest — of your body
  11. track — a song
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. craft — boats
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. chest — a box
  16. track — to keep track
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rock — a stone
  19. squash — the sport
  20. date — the fruit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rock — music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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