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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. tube — the underground
  5. clip — a video
  6. plane — a tool
  7. face — part of the head
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. face — to confront
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. tube — a container
  14. wake — a trail
  15. clip — to cut
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. clip — for paper
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. can — a tin
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pitch — completely
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. face — to point toward

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