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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wound — an injury
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. press — newspapers
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. press — to push
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rash — a series
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. press — a publisher
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rash — hasty
  24. dip — a sauce

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