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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: last · roll · can · content · swing · plane · mouse · branch

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. swing — music
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. content — happy
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. last — finally
  7. can — a tin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. last — to go on
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — to play on
  12. roll — a cake
  13. roll — a list
  14. can — to be able to
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. last — final
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. swing — in golf
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. can — a tin
  22. branch — a division
  23. plane — a tool
  24. content — videos and posts

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