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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: charge · band · mine · suit · hand · saw · plane · cabinet

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. suit — to fit
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — in control
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. mine — for digging
  15. hand — in cards
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. band — a ring
  20. charge — a price
  21. saw — the tool
  22. band — a music group
  23. charge — electricity
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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