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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. charge — a price
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. scale — in music
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cue — a hint
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — electricity
  16. scale — size or range
  17. charge — in control
  18. bark — to shout
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. tube — a container
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. cue — for pool

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