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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.

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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: last · net · cap · plane · root · wound · saw · charge

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cap — a hat
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cap — of ice
  6. root — of a word
  7. last — to go on
  8. net — in sport
  9. net — for catching
  10. wound — an injury
  11. charge — a price
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. last — finally
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. charge — electricity
  19. net — after costs
  20. last — final
  21. charge — in control
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cap — a lid
  24. saw — the tool

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