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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. craft — boats
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. dip — to sink
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. craft — a skill
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. race — the arms race
  13. content — the amount
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. toast — bread
  17. race — a contest
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. race — humankind
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. content — happy
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. bear — the animal

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