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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lean — thin
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. pound — a weight
  19. bat — the animal
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. foot — a measure
  23. lean — to bend
  24. plane — a tool

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