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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. plane — a tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. chest — of your body
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. chest — of your body
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to click
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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