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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — in control
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. charge — a price
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. march — the month
  12. toast — bread
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. march — music
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. net — after costs
  18. net — for catching
  19. bore — to drill
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. net — in sport
  24. march — the month

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