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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: lash · leaves · stand · charge · plane · file · chest · game

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. plane — a tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. game — wild animals
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. charge — electricity
  8. file — a line of people
  9. chest — of your body
  10. charge — a price
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — a match
  16. chest — a box
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. file — a tool
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. chest — of your body
  21. file — a document
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. stand — to bear
  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