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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. content — happy
  7. rest — a break
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bulb — for light
  13. present — the time now
  14. bore — to tire
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. bore — to drill
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bulb — for light
  20. cap — of ice
  21. cap — a lid
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ball — a great time

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