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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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468
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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. charge — in control
  4. march — the month
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mine — for digging
  7. march — music
  8. march — the month
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. charge — a price
  12. suit — clothes
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — in cards
  17. row — a line
  18. pit — in a race
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pit — a hole
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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