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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: plane · charge · mug · file · cabinet · suit · scale · dip

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mug — a face
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. suit — clothes
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. file — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mug — to rob
  15. mug — a cup
  16. file — a document
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. file — a line of people
  20. scale — in music
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. charge — electricity
  24. scale — size or range

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