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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. plane — a tool
  3. charge — electricity
  4. roll — a list
  5. kick — in football
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. stem — to come from
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. charge — in control
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bore — to tire
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pit — a hole
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. charge — a price
  22. bore — to drill
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pit — in a race

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