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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. content — the amount
  5. plane — a tool
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. row — a line
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. can — a tin
  11. pop — soda
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pop — music
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mine — for digging
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to click
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. can — a tin
  21. row — to paddle
  22. content — happy
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pop — to visit

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