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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. fine — all right
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. content — the amount
  11. charge — in control
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fine — high quality
  14. charge — a price
  15. plane — a tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. charge — electricity
  18. arm — a part of something

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