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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.

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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: nail · plane · wave · lean · deal · sharp · charge · board

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. charge — a price
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. plane — a tool
  17. lean — thin
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. deal — to handle
  20. lean — to bend
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. charge — in control
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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