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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 120 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: cabinet · nail · plane · rush · bulb · ball · content · chair

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bulb — for light
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a great time
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. content — the amount
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. plane — a tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rush — hurry
  22. content — happy
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. nail — for a hammer

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