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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: rush · plane · fork · court · net · shower · snap · charge

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. charge — in control
  4. plane — a tool
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. fork — in a road
  14. charge — a price
  15. net — for catching
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. court — of law
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rush — hurry
  22. court — for sport
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. court — of a king

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