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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cue — a hint
  5. fall — the season
  6. cap — a hat
  7. face — to point toward
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. face — part of the head
  11. charge — in control
  12. face — to confront
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rash — a series
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rash — hasty
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. cap — a lid

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