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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stem — to come from
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. file — a tool
  6. clip — a video
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. file — a document
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. charge — in control
  12. fine — high quality
  13. clip — to cut
  14. charge — electricity
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. suit — clothes
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. clip — for paper
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fine — all right
  24. file — a line of people

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