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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: stick · plane · mark · tear · bore · content · fan · mate

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mate — a partner
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. tear — from crying
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. mark — a grade
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. content — the amount
  17. bore — to tire
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mate — to breed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. tear — from crying
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. tear — to rip
  24. mark — a trace

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