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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. squash — the sport
  4. perch — the fish
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. content — happy
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. key — the most important part
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bore — to tire
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — a tool
  13. key — in music
  14. march — the month
  15. bore — to drill
  16. march — music
  17. content — the amount
  18. key — for a lock
  19. squash — to crush
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. march — the month

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