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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. plane — a tool
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — after costs
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. net — for catching
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. kick — in football
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. branch — a division
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. kick — a thrill

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