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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. branch — a division
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pit — a hole
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. plane — a tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. content — the amount
  16. pass — a permit
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. pit — in a race
  24. pass — to succeed

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