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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. content — the amount
  9. last — to go on
  10. can — to be able to
  11. stand — to bear
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. last — finally
  14. can — a tin
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. content — happy
  19. last — final
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. can — a tin
  23. bear — the animal
  24. plane — a tool

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