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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. charge — a price
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. file — a document
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. file — a line of people
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. wake — a trail
  12. pound — a weight
  13. charge — electricity
  14. toast — bread
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. charge — in control
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. file — a tool
  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