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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: safe · fall · ball · wake · plane · hand · content · perch

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ball — a dance
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. content — the amount
  5. wake — a trail
  6. hand — help
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. content — happy
  10. fall — to drop
  11. ball — a great time
  12. hand — in cards
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fall — to drop
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fall — the season
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wake — before a funeral

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