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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 120 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. pound — a weight
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. content — happy
  7. cap — a hat
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. craft — boats
  16. plane — a tool
  17. content — the amount
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. craft — a skill
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mouse — the animal

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