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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. season — in sport
  5. dip — to sink
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pass — a permit
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. plane — a tool
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rock — music
  20. season — of the year
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. rock — a stone
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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