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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: lean · charge · cap · plane · object · tube · bowl · pit

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cap — of ice
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cap — a hat
  8. lean — thin
  9. tube — the underground
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — in a race
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. object — an aim
  14. pit — a hole
  15. plane — a tool
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. tube — a container
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. object — to protest
  23. lean — to bend
  24. cap — a lid

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