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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. foot — a measure
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. content — the amount
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cell — in biology
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. net — after costs
  17. branch — a division
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. net — in sport
  22. bark — to shout
  23. net — for catching
  24. content — happy

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