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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. land — to come down
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. tube — a container
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. land — ground
  20. plane — a tool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stand — to bear
  24. land — a country

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