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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · charge · plane · wind · jam · net

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. charge — electricity
  4. plane — a tool
  5. net — after costs
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. net — in sport
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. net — for catching
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air

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