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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.

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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 · nail · calf · charge · plane · sharp · coach · cell

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. charge — in control
  4. charge — electricity
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. charge — a price
  12. plane — a tool
  13. cell — a phone
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. sharp — clever
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cell — in biology
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. nail — for a hammer

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