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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: court · object · craft · swing · plane · content · mouse · bulb

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. content — happy
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. court — of law
  6. swing — to play on
  7. craft — a skill
  8. content — the amount
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. craft — boats
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. swing — in golf
  15. object — to protest
  16. court — of a king
  17. bulb — for light
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bulb — for light
  22. court — for sport
  23. swing — music
  24. mouse — for a computer

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