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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
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: row · object · squash · rock · content · plane · rush · sharp

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. object — to protest
  3. object — an aim
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rush — hurry
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. row — a line
  10. object — a thing
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. row — to paddle
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rock — music
  16. content — happy
  17. content — the amount
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. squash — to crush
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. sharp — clever
  23. rock — a stone
  24. sharp — with an edge

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