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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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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: fall · content · cabinet · object · toast · bore · plane · bay

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. bore — to tire
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. content — happy
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. object — an aim
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. object — a thing
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. content — the amount
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fall — to drop

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