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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. last — finally
  3. plane — a tool
  4. last — to go on
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. last — final
  12. face — part of the head
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. face — to point toward
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. face — to confront
  24. pound — a weight

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