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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. charge — in control
  3. plane — a tool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. bulb — for light
  12. board — a committee
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. wound — an injury
  15. sharp — clever
  16. charge — electricity
  17. board — to get on
  18. roll — a list
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. charge — a price
  23. march — the month
  24. roll — a cake

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