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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 · safe · face · charge · ball · degree · bat · pop

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. face — to confront
  3. pop — to visit
  4. face — part of the head
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pop — music
  9. bat — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. charge — electricity
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pop — soda
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. degree — temperature
  16. ball — a great time
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. charge — a price
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. degree — from a university
  22. charge — in control
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. safe — out of danger

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