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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. charge — electricity
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cell — in biology
  5. net — after costs
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. saw — the tool
  9. season — of the year
  10. saw — the tool
  11. net — in sport
  12. cell — a phone
  13. season — in sport
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. content — the amount
  18. charge — a price
  19. net — for catching
  20. content — happy
  21. charge — in control
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. content — videos and posts

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