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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 120 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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lean — thin
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. charge — electricity
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rush — hurry
  15. present — the time now
  16. lean — to bend
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. board — a committee
  20. tube — a container
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. charge — in control
  23. board — to get on
  24. lean — to rest against

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