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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.

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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: game · charge · lie · plane · pop · ball · track · rest

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. game — a match
  5. plane — a tool
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pop — soda
  10. pop — to visit
  11. ball — a dance
  12. track — a song
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. rest — a break
  16. track — a path
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ball — a great time
  20. track — to keep track
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pop — music
  23. lie — to recline
  24. game — wild animals

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