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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. plane — a tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stock — shares
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. rush — hurry
  24. temple — side of the head

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