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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. cue — for pool
  3. wake — a trail
  4. rock — a stone
  5. face — to confront
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. face — part of the head
  9. content — the amount
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. face — to point toward
  12. fork — in a road
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. cue — a signal
  18. content — happy
  19. plane — a tool
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rock — music
  22. cue — a hint
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. fork — to eat with

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