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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 · chest · mine · calf · plane · firm · ball · mark

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chest — of your body
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ball — a dance
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — a company
  11. mark — a trace
  12. charge — in control
  13. ball — a great time
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. chest — a box
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. chest — of your body
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. firm — steady

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