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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. spring — the season
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. spring — a coil
  12. content — happy
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. net — for catching
  19. mark — a grade
  20. net — in sport
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. spring — of water
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. net — after costs

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