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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. bound — tied together
  6. plane — a tool
  7. roll — a list
  8. net — for catching
  9. cell — in biology
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bound — certain
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. field — farmland
  16. roll — a cake
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. cell — a phone
  19. field — for sport
  20. field — a subject
  21. bound — obliged
  22. net — after costs
  23. net — in sport
  24. temple — side of the head

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