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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.

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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.

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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. cue — a signal
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. staff — a stick
  6. vault — a safe
  7. staff — employees
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. plane — a tool
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cue — for pool
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. snap — to click
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. staff — employees
  22. content — happy
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. cue — a hint

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