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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: craft · content · squash · plane · stand · charge · face · perch

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. charge — in control
  4. content — the amount
  5. squash — to crush
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. squash — the sport
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. perch — the fish
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. charge — electricity
  17. craft — boats
  18. face — to point toward
  19. face — part of the head
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. content — happy
  22. face — to confront
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. stand — on your feet

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