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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: charge · net · pitcher · lean · wake · plane · rock · drill

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. net — for catching
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. net — in sport
  13. plane — a tool
  14. lean — thin
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rock — music
  19. net — after costs
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. drill — a practice
  23. lean — to bend
  24. charge — a price

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