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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. tear — to rip
  5. firm — decided
  6. ball — a great time
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a dance
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. firm — a company
  11. content — happy
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. tear — from crying
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. craft — boats
  16. bear — the animal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bear — the animal
  19. craft — a skill
  20. content — the amount
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. tear — from crying
  23. firm — steady
  24. craft — a handicraft

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