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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mine — for digging
  4. cap — a lid
  5. content — the amount
  6. bulb — for light
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. cap — a hat
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pound — a weight
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. cap — of ice
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. content — happy
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bulb — for light

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