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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tube — a container
  5. plane — a tool
  6. scale — size or range
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. scale — in music
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. content — the amount
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. content — happy
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. tube — the underground
  24. hide — animal skin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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