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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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468
Word bank
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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. plane — a tool
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pitch — completely
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. land — ground
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. land — a country
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. kid — to tease
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. land — to come down
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. leaves — of a tree

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