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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — to get on
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. board — a committee
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. fall — to drop
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. prune — to trim
  10. fork — in a road
  11. can — to be able to
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fall — the season
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. can — a tin
  22. rush — hurry
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fall — to drop

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