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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. wake — a trail
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. face — to point toward
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — a line
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. charge — in control
  10. face — to confront
  11. charge — a price
  12. plane — a tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. object — an aim
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. charge — electricity
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. firm — a company
  19. toast — bread
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. face — part of the head
  22. firm — steady
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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