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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. content — the amount
  3. spring — of water
  4. ball — a great time
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. content — happy
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. charge — electricity
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mark — a grade
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. bank — for money
  16. spring — a coil
  17. bank — of a river
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bank — for money
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. plane — a tool
  23. spring — the season
  24. ball — a dance

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