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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. firm — a company
  4. fork — in a road
  5. scale — size or range
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. scale — in music
  8. plane — a tool
  9. net — in sport
  10. charge — a price
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. firm — steady
  17. mine — for digging
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. net — after costs
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. charge — electricity
  23. firm — decided
  24. net — for catching

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