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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 124 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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. current — electric
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. content — happy
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lie — to recline
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. content — the amount
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. firm — a company
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. current — of water
  20. firm — steady
  21. current — happening now
  22. firm — decided
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. content — videos and posts

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