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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · bowl · plane · dip · wave · fork · rush · content

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. plane — a tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fork — in a road
  10. content — happy
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. can — a tin
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. can — to be able to
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. content — the amount
  20. can — a tin
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rush — hurry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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