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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. charge — a price
  3. ground — crushed
  4. plane — a tool
  5. mark — a grade
  6. content — happy
  7. ground — the earth
  8. charge — in control
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — a trace
  13. roll — a list
  14. charge — electricity
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. ground — a position
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. craft — a skill
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. content — the amount
  24. coach — a trainer

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