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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.

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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. key — for a lock
  3. foot — a measure
  4. plane — a tool
  5. tube — a container
  6. pound — a weight
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. content — happy
  9. roll — a cake
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. key — the most important part
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. current — electric
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. key — in music
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. roll — a list

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