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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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. game — wild animals
  3. face — to point toward
  4. race — the arms race
  5. face — part of the head
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. cue — a signal
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. cue — for pool
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. face — to confront
  19. mark — a grade
  20. race — humankind
  21. mark — a trace
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. race — a contest

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