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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. present — the time now
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. present — a gift
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. shower — rain
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mark — a trace
  20. present — there
  21. mark — a grade
  22. charge — a price
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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