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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bore — to drill
  5. root — of a plant
  6. scale — in music
  7. content — the amount
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. root — of a word
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. content — happy
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. root — the cause
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bore — to tire
  21. scale — size or range
  22. ground — a position
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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