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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. snap — to click
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. toast — bread
  7. net — in sport
  8. charge — in control
  9. bank — of a river
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bank — for money
  13. charge — a price
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. charge — electricity
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. net — after costs
  24. fall — to drop

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