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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 120 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: cabinet · trunk · charge · plane · mouse · tube · court · sharp

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tube — a container
  3. court — for sport
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. charge — a price
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. plane — a tool
  21. sharp — clever
  22. court — of a king
  23. court — of law
  24. mouse — the animal

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