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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mate — a partner
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mate — a friend
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. date — the fruit
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. plane — a tool
  18. branch — a division
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. mate — to breed
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. plane — in geometry

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