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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. charge — electricity
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — in control
  11. pass — a permit
  12. plane — a tool
  13. tube — a container
  14. present — a gift
  15. hand — in cards
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. tube — the underground
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. charge — a price
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pass — to spend time

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