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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.

Make a worksheet

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: plane · content · fork · wave · land · suit · rest · game

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. land — ground
  4. rest — what's left
  5. plane — a tool
  6. game — wild animals
  7. suit — to fit
  8. content — the amount
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. land — a country
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fork — in a road
  19. suit — in cards
  20. rest — what's left
  21. game — a match
  22. rest — a break
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. plane — an aircraft

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