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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — to bear
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. kid — to tease
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. content — the amount
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. content — happy
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. plane — a tool
  19. fine — all right
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. kid — child
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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