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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
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: plane · content · fine · arm · charge · date · current · race

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. charge — in control
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. date — the fruit
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. plane — a tool
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. race — humankind
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. charge — electricity
  12. current — of water
  13. current — happening now
  14. fine — all right
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. fine — high quality
  17. race — a contest
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. race — the arms race
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. charge — a price
  23. current — electric
  24. date — on the calendar

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