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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — for light
  3. craft — a skill
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. game — wild animals
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. march — the month
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bulb — for light
  14. content — happy
  15. march — the month
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. game — a match
  20. march — music
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. content — the amount
  23. craft — boats
  24. bulb — of a plant

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