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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. tube — a container
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. land — a country
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rock — a stone
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — a tool
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. face — part of the head
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. land — to come down
  19. rock — music
  20. land — ground
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. face — to confront
  24. face — to point toward

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