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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. content — happy
  4. bulb — for light
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. object — to protest
  7. present — the time now
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. object — an aim
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. object — a thing
  13. present — there
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. ball — a great time
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. present — a gift
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ball — a dance
  23. content — the amount
  24. bulb — for light

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