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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 120 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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. bass — the fish
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bass — low music
  6. scale — in music
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. plane — a tool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. can — to be able to
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. chest — a box
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. can — a tin
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. object — an aim
  24. can — a tin

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