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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. current — happening now
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. dip — to sink
  10. current — of water
  11. plane — a tool
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pound — a weight
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. current — electric
  24. temple — a place of worship

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