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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.

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: rest · rush · charge · kid · mug · hide · plane · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. charge — electricity
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rest — what's left
  5. kid — to tease
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rest — a break
  9. saw — the tool
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. charge — in control
  15. mug — a cup
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. kid — child
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. charge — a price
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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