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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. game — wild animals
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. charge — a price
  8. object — to protest
  9. game — a match
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. object — a thing
  12. land — ground
  13. land — a country
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. object — an aim
  17. ball — a great time
  18. charge — electricity
  19. land — to come down
  20. charge — in control
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. ball — a dance

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