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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. charge — a price
  3. bound — tied together
  4. last — finally
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bound — certain
  9. stand — to bear
  10. last — final
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. track — a song
  13. last — to go on
  14. track — to keep track
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rock — music
  17. track — a path
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bound — obliged
  24. stand — for spectators

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