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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. mate — to breed
  4. plane — a tool
  5. cell — in biology
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — a phone
  9. charge — in control
  10. date — the fruit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mate — a partner
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. charge — a price
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mate — a friend
  24. charge — electricity

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