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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. charge — in control
  3. present — there
  4. charge — a price
  5. rule — a law
  6. present — a gift
  7. mine — for digging
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pitch — completely
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. present — the time now
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. plane — a tool
  16. key — for a lock
  17. rule — government
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. key — in music

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