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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: perch · toast · content · deal · board · court · plane · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. content — the amount
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. content — happy
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. deal — to handle
  8. court — of a king
  9. mark — a trace
  10. court — for sport
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. court — of law
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. toast — bread
  19. perch — the fish
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — to get on

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