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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. charge — a price
  3. present — a gift
  4. rock — a stone
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. spell — magic
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. present — the time now
  10. charge — in control
  11. season — in sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — a short time
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — a tool
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rock — music
  19. season — of the year
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. present — there
  22. charge — electricity
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. season — to add flavour

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