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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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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. charge — a price
  10. plane — a tool
  11. track — to keep track
  12. can — a tin
  13. spring — a coil
  14. cap — a lid
  15. track — a path
  16. charge — in control
  17. spring — of water
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. can — to be able to
  20. spring — the season
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. can — a tin
  23. track — a song
  24. plane — an aircraft

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