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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mug — a cup
  3. land — a country
  4. mug — to rob
  5. content — happy
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. kick — in football
  12. board — a committee
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. land — ground
  15. content — the amount
  16. mug — a face
  17. present — the time now
  18. land — to come down
  19. present — there
  20. board — to get on
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. plane — a tool
  24. present — a gift

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