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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: content · suit · snap · rule · ball · chest · lie · plane

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. chest — a box
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. content — the amount
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — a law
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chest — of your body
  15. plane — a tool
  16. chest — of your body
  17. content — happy
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. snap — to click

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