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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: bore · roll · object · plane · sharp · toast · cabinet · charge

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. object — to protest
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. plane — a tool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bore — to drill
  13. charge — in control
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. toast — bread
  16. charge — a price
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — an aim
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. cabinet — ministers

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