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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: content · rock · cell · plane · mark · ruler · deal · shower

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. content — happy
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. cell — in biology
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. shower — rain
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rock — music
  14. plane — a tool
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. deal — to handle
  17. cell — a phone
  18. shower — to wash
  19. content — the amount
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. rock — a stone
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mark — a trace

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