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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 124 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. present — there
  3. plane — a tool
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. present — a gift
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. board — a committee
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cap — a hat
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lean — to bend
  17. content — happy
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. board — to get on
  20. present — the time now
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. lean — thin
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. mouse — the animal

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