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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. charge — a price
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fine — all right
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fine — high quality
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. plane — a tool
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rule — government
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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