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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bank — for money
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. season — of the year
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bank — of a river
  10. content — happy
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. band — a music group
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bank — for money
  19. season — in sport
  20. content — the amount
  21. band — a ring
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. plane — a tool
  24. season — to add flavour

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