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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. band — a ring
  5. charge — electricity
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. staff — employees
  14. charge — a price
  15. face — part of the head
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. plane — a tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. staff — a stick
  21. face — to confront
  22. band — a music group
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. face — to point toward

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