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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. plane — a tool
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. net — in sport
  5. land — to come down
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a line
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. net — after costs
  16. content — happy
  17. land — a country
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. net — for catching
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. land — ground
  24. plane — in geometry

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