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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. charge — in control
  3. roll — a list
  4. plane — a tool
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. charge — a price
  8. branch — a division
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. roll — a cake
  19. charge — electricity
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. ruler — a monarch

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