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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. prune — to trim
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. squash — the sport
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. present — a gift
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. present — there
  18. prune — to trim
  19. squash — to crush
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — the time now
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. plane — a tool
  24. toast — bread

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