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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. march — the month
  11. charge — a price
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. march — music
  14. ground — a position
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. march — the month
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bark — to shout
  22. plane — a tool
  23. tube — the underground
  24. rush — hurry

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