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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. club — for golf
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. fall — to drop
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. club — a group
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. roll — a list
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. plane — a tool
  13. root — of a word
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. root — of a plant
  17. roll — a cake
  18. vault — a safe
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. fall — to drop
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. club — for dancing
  23. root — the cause
  24. fall — the season

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