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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 120 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: wave · last · cell · plane · can · ground · race · charge

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. race — a contest
  5. last — final
  6. charge — electricity
  7. ground — the earth
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. last — finally
  10. can — a tin
  11. last — to go on
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. cell — in biology
  15. charge — in control
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ground — a position
  18. race — humankind
  19. race — the arms race
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. ground — crushed
  22. can — a tin
  23. charge — a price
  24. cell — a phone

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