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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. stand — to bear
  6. present — there
  7. charge — electricity
  8. present — a gift
  9. charge — in control
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. present — the time now
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. prune — to trim
  16. court — of law
  17. charge — a price
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. sharp — clever
  20. court — for sport
  21. prune — to trim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. court — of a king
  24. nail — for a hammer

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