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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.

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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. can — to be able to
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. can — a tin
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. can — a tin
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chair — a leader
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. content — the amount
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fine — all right

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