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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. staff — employees
  4. charge — in control
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. spring — the season
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fine — all right
  9. spring — of water
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. spell — magic
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. spell — letters
  15. fine — high quality
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rush — hurry
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — a price
  24. fine — a penalty

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