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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 116 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: plane · lean · pit · charge · band · clip · deal · dip

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lean — to bend
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. band — a ring
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. clip — for paper
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pit — a hole
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. band — a music group
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lean — thin
  16. charge — electricity
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. deal — to handle
  19. dip — to sink
  20. clip — a video
  21. clip — to cut
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. charge — a price
  24. lean — to rest against

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