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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: pit · cell · charge · dip · plane · ball · drill · saw

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. ball — a great time
  3. charge — electricity
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cell — a phone
  10. drill — a practice
  11. pit — a hole
  12. charge — a price
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. pit — in a race
  18. cell — in biology
  19. drill — the tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. charge — in control
  22. dip — to sink
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. drill — army training

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