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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. dip — to sink
  5. fine — all right
  6. charge — in control
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. content — the amount
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. board — a committee
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fine — high quality
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. charge — electricity
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. charge — a price
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. stand — to bear
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. fine — a penalty

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