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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. rest — a break
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cue — for pool
  5. can — a tin
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. swing — music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. content — happy
  11. cue — a signal
  12. content — the amount
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. can — a tin
  15. last — to go on
  16. cue — a hint
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. last — final
  20. rest — what's left
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. swing — in golf
  23. last — finally
  24. plane — a tool

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