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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. mark — a grade
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. field — for sport
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. cap — a hat
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bound — certain
  14. object — an aim
  15. field — farmland
  16. cap — of ice
  17. object — a thing
  18. plane — a tool
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. cap — a lid
  21. field — a subject
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. object — to protest
  24. branch — a division

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