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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 116 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mate — a partner
  3. content — the amount
  4. spring — a coil
  5. content — happy
  6. net — for catching
  7. bank — for money
  8. net — in sport
  9. bank — of a river
  10. chip — for betting
  11. spring — the season
  12. mate — to breed
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. plane — a tool
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. net — after costs
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bank — for money
  21. mate — a friend
  22. spring — of water
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. chip — in a computer

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