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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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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 · toast · stand · bat · cell · nail · plane · charge

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — a price
  14. pit — in a race
  15. stand — to bear
  16. cell — in biology
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. toast — bread
  19. cell — a phone
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. bat — the animal
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. charge — in control

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