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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — in control
  7. land — a country
  8. saw — the tool
  9. tear — from crying
  10. charge — a price
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. key — the most important part
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. charge — electricity
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. tear — to rip
  23. tear — from crying
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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