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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — a tool
  3. file — a document
  4. rule — a law
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. lie — to recline
  7. land — a country
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. spell — letters
  10. land — ground
  11. file — a line of people
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rule — government
  15. file — a tool
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spell — a short time
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. land — to come down
  22. spell — magic
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. dip — to dunk

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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