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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.

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: plane · bank · bear · ruler · jam · hand · season · content

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. hand — in cards
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. plane — a tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bank — for money
  8. season — in sport
  9. content — the amount
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hand — help
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bank — for money
  21. season — of the year
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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