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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. rest — what's left
  4. charge — a price
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. charge — electricity
  7. object — an aim
  8. rest — a break
  9. cell — in biology
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. object — to protest
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. tube — the underground
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. object — a thing
  19. charge — in control
  20. cell — a phone
  21. rest — what's left
  22. prune — to trim
  23. plane — a tool
  24. cell — in a prison

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