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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. spell — magic
  4. shower — rain
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bank — of a river
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. content — the amount
  10. spell — letters
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. bulb — for light
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spell — a short time
  18. bank — for money
  19. content — happy
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  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