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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 120 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bear — the animal
  3. plane — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. face — to confront
  7. hand — in cards
  8. face — part of the head
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rock — music
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. face — to point toward
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bear — the animal

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