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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. spell — magic
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. spell — a short time
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. plane — a tool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. object — to protest
  13. spell — letters
  14. track — a path
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. march — music
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. march — the month
  22. track — a song
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. march — the month

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