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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: tube · net · wind · rule · rush · plane · charge · pit

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pit — a hole
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. tube — a container
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. net — after costs
  9. pit — in a race
  10. net — in sport
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wind — moving air
  14. net — for catching
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rush — hurry
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rule — a law
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. rule — government
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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