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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: plane · charge · staff · rock · cell · mine · fine · bulb

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. staff — employees
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. bulb — for light
  8. staff — employees
  9. rock — music
  10. fine — all right
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mine — for digging
  13. charge — in control
  14. bulb — for light
  15. charge — a price
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. charge — electricity
  21. plane — a tool
  22. staff — a stick
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cell — in biology

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