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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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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. shower — rain
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. shower — to wash
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. fork — in a road
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. kick — in football
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. temple — side of the head

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