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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — in control
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. mate — a partner
  10. ball — a great time
  11. plane — a tool
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cell — in biology
  17. cell — a phone
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stand — to bear
  20. mate — a friend
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. charge — a price

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