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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: squash · present · rule · dip · plane · wave · object · content

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rule — government
  7. squash — the sport
  8. dip — to sink
  9. present — the time now
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — the amount
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. object — a thing
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. plane — a tool
  19. present — a gift
  20. object — to protest
  21. present — there
  22. object — an aim
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. content — happy

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