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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
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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: fine · ground · chest · toast · racket · content · plane · object

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chest — a box
  4. ground — a position
  5. content — happy
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. fine — high quality
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. object — an aim
  12. ground — crushed
  13. object — a thing
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. object — to protest
  17. fine — all right
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. chest — of your body
  20. content — the amount
  21. toast — bread
  22. plane — a tool
  23. chest — of your body
  24. toast — the most admired

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