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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: saw · bat · content · plane · hand · object · staff · rock

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. object — an aim
  3. saw — the tool
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — help
  8. object — a thing
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. rock — music
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. content — happy
  14. content — the amount
  15. plane — a tool
  16. staff — employees
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. object — to protest
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. rock — a stone
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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