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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: plane · nail · calf · mark · cold · mine · firm · content

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mine — for digging
  3. firm — steady
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. content — the amount
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mark — a trace
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mark — a grade
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cold — not warm
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. cold — an illness
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. mark — to pay attention

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