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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: plane · bore · charge · swing · last · toast · wake · stand

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. toast — bread
  4. swing — music
  5. bore — to tire
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. plane — a tool
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. last — final
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bore — to drill
  19. wake — a trail
  20. charge — a price
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. charge — in control

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