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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. band — a music group
  3. scale — size or range
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rest — what's left
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. last — to go on
  14. rest — a break
  15. pit — in a race
  16. band — a ring
  17. last — final
  18. charge — a price
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. charge — in control
  22. last — finally
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pit — a hole

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