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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 116 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: mug · face · plane · mine · key · bass · content · saw

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. mug — to rob
  5. bass — low music
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. saw — the tool
  8. key — in music
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. content — happy
  11. key — the most important part
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mine — for digging
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mug — a face
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bass — the fish
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. content — the amount

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