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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rock — a stone
  4. swing — in golf
  5. rush — hurry
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bore — to tire
  9. charge — a price
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. craft — boats
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. drill — the tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bore — to drill
  18. drill — a practice
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. drill — army training
  23. charge — in control
  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