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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: face · plane · mug · hand · arm · board · can · content

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. board — to get on
  3. mug — a cup
  4. can — a tin
  5. face — to confront
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. face — to point toward
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. content — the amount
  16. face — part of the head
  17. mug — to rob
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. content — happy
  20. mug — a face
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. board — a committee

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