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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. hand — help
  4. can — to be able to
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. hand — in cards
  10. can — a tin
  11. bank — for money
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. content — the amount
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. plane — a tool
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. can — a tin
  18. content — happy
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bank — for money
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bank — of a river

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