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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: hide · ground · cap · bay · charge · plane · cell · pass

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ground — the earth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. charge — electricity
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. cap — of ice
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cap — a hat
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. charge — in control
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cell — in biology
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cap — a lid
  22. charge — a price
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. pass — a permit

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