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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. content — the amount
  3. charge — a price
  4. branch — a division
  5. prune — to trim
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. key — the most important part
  8. plane — a tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — to breed
  11. prune — to trim
  12. charge — electricity
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — happy
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. mate — a partner
  19. key — in music
  20. mate — a friend
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. charge — in control
  24. key — for a lock

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