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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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. staff — employees
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. mate — a friend
  6. prune — to trim
  7. present — a gift
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. prune — to trim
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. charge — electricity
  12. cue — for pool
  13. plane — a tool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mate — a partner
  18. charge — in control
  19. mate — to breed
  20. present — there
  21. staff — employees
  22. present — the time now
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. charge — a price

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