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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: ruler · plane · chip · bulb · content · mug · court · pop

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. content — the amount
  5. content — happy
  6. pop — soda
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. court — of law
  9. pop — to visit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mug — a face
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. pop — music
  18. court — for sport
  19. chip — for betting
  20. court — of a king
  21. mug — to rob
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. chip — to eat
  24. plane — in geometry

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