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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: season · pit · mug · squash · tube · charge · plane · foot

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — the sport
  4. charge — electricity
  5. tube — the underground
  6. charge — a price
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — a tool
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. charge — in control
  11. season — in sport
  12. pit — a hole
  13. tube — a container
  14. mug — a cup
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mug — a face
  21. season — of the year
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pit — in a race
  24. season — to add flavour

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