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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — a price
  7. spring — a coil
  8. charge — in control
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. spring — of water
  11. fine — all right
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. chair — a leader
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. spring — the season
  22. plane — a tool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. chair — a professorship

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