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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. plane — a tool
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — electricity
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bank — for money
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. tube — a container
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. charge — a price
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. content — happy
  20. charge — in control
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. tube — the underground
  24. bore — to tire

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