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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fall — the season
  7. spell — letters
  8. craft — boats
  9. fall — to drop
  10. craft — a skill
  11. fall — to drop
  12. plane — a tool
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. spell — magic
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fine — high quality
  21. face — part of the head
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. spell — a short time
  24. face — to confront

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