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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. net — after costs
  3. plane — a tool
  4. band — a music group
  5. content — the amount
  6. charge — a price
  7. net — in sport
  8. sharp — clever
  9. charge — in control
  10. net — for catching
  11. bear — the animal
  12. content — happy
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bear — the animal
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. charge — electricity
  24. leaves — lets stay

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