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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. charge — a price
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bat — the animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. row — a line
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. plane — a tool

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