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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 120 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: dip · rush · coach · wake · cell · charge · plane · stick

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. dip — to sink
  5. plane — a tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. charge — a price
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. charge — in control
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cell — a phone
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. cell — in biology
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rush — hurry

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