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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: plane · tube · deal · wave · snap · content · lean · pop

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — soda
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pop — music
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. content — happy
  15. deal — to handle
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to click
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — the underground
  24. lean — to bend

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