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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 120 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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. squash — the sport
  3. firm — decided
  4. cue — a signal
  5. firm — a company
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. tube — a container
  9. squash — to crush
  10. plane — a tool
  11. tube — the underground
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. content — the amount
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. cue — a hint
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. cue — for pool
  23. firm — steady
  24. content — videos and posts

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