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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. plane — a tool
  5. charge — a price
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. face — part of the head
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. season — of the year
  13. charge — electricity
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. face — to point toward
  18. charge — in control
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. face — to confront
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. season — in sport
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. toast — bread

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