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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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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. march — music
  3. land — ground
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. march — the month
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. charge — in control
  8. saw — the tool
  9. charge — electricity
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. land — to come down
  13. land — a country
  14. last — to go on
  15. march — the month
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. face — part of the head
  18. last — finally
  19. face — to confront
  20. face — to point toward
  21. plane — a tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. last — final

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