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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. 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. net — for catching
  2. face — part of the head
  3. plane — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. object — to protest
  9. net — in sport
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rock — a stone
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rock — music
  15. object — an aim
  16. face — to confront
  17. object — a thing
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. net — after costs
  24. 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