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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. stand — to bear
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wind — moving air
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bound — obliged
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bound — certain
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. object — a thing
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. wind — moving air
  19. object — an aim
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. object — to protest
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fan — to cool the air

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