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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. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. face — to point toward
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. plane — a tool
  7. content — happy
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. mark — a grade
  15. last — final
  16. content — the amount
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bass — the fish
  20. face — part of the head
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. face — to confront

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