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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. roll — a list
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. drill — army training
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. dip — to sink
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. roll — a cake
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. plane — a tool
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. drill — the tool

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