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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 116 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. content — the amount
  7. plane — a tool
  8. drill — the tool
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. drill — a practice
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ball — a dance
  13. club — for golf
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. club — a group
  18. drill — army training
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lean — thin
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mouse — for a computer

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