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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.

Make a worksheet

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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. game — wild animals
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. key — the most important part
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. key — in music
  8. content — happy
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rock — music
  14. mine — for digging
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. game — a match
  18. rock — a stone
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. plane — a tool
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. content — the amount
  24. key — for a lock

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