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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bass — the fish
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bulb — for light
  6. plane — a tool
  7. content — happy
  8. bass — low music
  9. bulb — for light
  10. stand — to bear
  11. face — to point toward
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rock — music
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. content — the amount
  21. craft — boats
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bass — the instrument

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