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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. present — there
  6. rest — what's left
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. content — the amount
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. content — happy
  11. plane — a tool
  12. present — the time now
  13. capital — a city
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. rest — a break
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. present — a gift
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. rest — what's left
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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