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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bank — for money
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. club — a group
  9. content — happy
  10. content — the amount
  11. club — for dancing
  12. date — the fruit
  13. toast — bread
  14. club — for golf
  15. foot — a measure
  16. bank — for money
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. craft — boats
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. date — on the calendar

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