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

Word bank: content · saw · bulb · plane · arm · staff · firm · lean

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. plane — a tool
  4. firm — decided
  5. bulb — for light
  6. staff — a stick
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — happy
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. saw — the tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bulb — for light
  15. firm — steady
  16. lean — to bend
  17. firm — a company
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bulb — of a plant

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