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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. face — part of the head
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. face — to point toward
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. content — the amount
  11. deal — to handle
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. craft — a skill
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. craft — boats
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. face — to confront
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. branch — a division

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