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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. face — part of the head
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. content — happy
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rash — a series
  8. plane — a tool
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. rash — hasty
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. face — to point toward
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. face — to confront
  22. content — the amount
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pitch — completely

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