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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. last — final
  4. present — there
  5. last — finally
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. swing — in golf
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. root — of a word
  11. last — to go on
  12. can — to be able to
  13. content — happy
  14. swing — music
  15. content — the amount
  16. plane — a tool
  17. root — of a plant
  18. root — the cause
  19. present — the time now
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. present — a gift
  22. swing — to play on
  23. can — a tin
  24. cabinet — ministers

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