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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: nail · charge · tube · plane · content · root · bark · foot

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. charge — electricity
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — happy
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. tube — the underground
  11. root — of a plant
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. root — the cause
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. root — of a word
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. charge — in control
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. charge — a price
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. foot — a measure
  23. tube — a container
  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