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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. ball — a great time
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ball — a dance
  6. perch — the fish
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — the time now
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. present — a gift
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. deal — to handle
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. content — happy
  23. plane — a tool
  24. present — there

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