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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.

Make a worksheet

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: game · kick · key · plane · temple · content · can · lean

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. key — for a lock
  3. game — a match
  4. plane — a tool
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lean — thin
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. game — wild animals
  10. key — in music
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kick — in football
  15. can — a tin
  16. key — the most important part
  17. content — the amount
  18. can — to be able to
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. can — a tin
  24. lean — to bend

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