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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.

Make a worksheet

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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. march — the month
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. march — music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. march — the month
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. content — the amount
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. content — happy
  17. game — wild animals
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. game — a match
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pitcher — in baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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