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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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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: wave · content · row · plane · foot · racket · cabinet · face

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. plane — a tool
  3. foot — a measure
  4. face — to point toward
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. row — a line
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. row — to paddle
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. content — happy
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. content — the amount
  24. cabinet — ministers

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