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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. court — for sport
  5. bank — for money
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. rule — a law
  8. court — of a king
  9. rule — government
  10. content — the amount
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. net — after costs
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. court — of law
  16. bear — the animal
  17. content — happy
  18. net — in sport
  19. bear — the animal
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bank — of a river
  22. net — for catching
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — animal skin

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