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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. charge — a price
  4. squash — to crush
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. charge — electricity
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. squash — the sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. track — a path
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. charge — in control
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. track — a song
  20. plane — a tool
  21. track — to keep track
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. nail — on a finger

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