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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. net — for catching
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. plane — a tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. prune — to trim
  11. content — happy
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. chest — a box
  14. mug — a cup
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. prune — to trim
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — in sport
  21. content — the amount
  22. mug — a face
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. chest — of your body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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