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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: rash · plane · ground · leaves · charge · rush · hand · key

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. charge — in control
  5. rush — hurry
  6. key — the most important part
  7. hand — in cards
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ground — a position
  11. key — for a lock
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ground — crushed
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. charge — a price
  19. key — in music
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. ground — the earth
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rash — a series
  24. hand — help

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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