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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 120 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. bound — obliged
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bound — certain
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bound — tied together
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. press — newspapers
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. saw — the tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — to push
  23. stem — to come from
  24. content — happy

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