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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cold — an illness
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. rush — hurry
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. plane — a tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cold — not warm
  16. pound — a weight
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. craft — boats
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bank — for money

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