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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
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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: chair · charge · bowl · rest · spring · toast · calf · plane

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rest — a break
  6. charge — in control
  7. rest — what's left
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. spring — of water
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. spring — the season
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. spring — a coil
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. chair — a leader
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — bread
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. calf — of the leg

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