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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 116 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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. cap — a lid
  4. file — a document
  5. content — the amount
  6. file — a line of people
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. file — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. content — happy
  12. march — the month
  13. charge — electricity
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. cap — of ice
  17. charge — a price
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cap — a hat
  20. charge — in control
  21. mark — a grade
  22. plane — a tool
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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