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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. object — a thing
  4. firm — a company
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. firm — decided
  8. object — an aim
  9. plane — a tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. last — to go on
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. object — to protest
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. firm — steady
  21. last — final
  22. branch — a division
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. last — finally

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