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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. club — a group
  8. bear — the animal
  9. tube — the underground
  10. content — happy
  11. club — for golf
  12. pop — to visit
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. content — the amount
  17. can — a tin
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pop — soda
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. club — for dancing
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. tube — a container
  24. pop — music

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