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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
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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: land · rush · plane · sharp · object · charge · cabinet · bowl

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. land — a country
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. object — an aim
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. object — to protest
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. land — to come down
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. land — ground
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. object — a thing
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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