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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. content — happy
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pop — music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. content — the amount
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. plane — a tool
  17. craft — boats
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. charge — in control
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pop — soda
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pop — to visit

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