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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. object — a thing
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. wake — a trail
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. object — an aim
  12. deal — to handle
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. object — to protest
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. saw — the tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. deal — a big deal

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