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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. track — a path
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stock — goods
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. root — the cause
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. track — to keep track
  11. kid — to tease
  12. tube — the underground
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bank — of a river
  15. kid — child
  16. track — a song
  17. tube — a container
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. stock — shares
  20. root — of a word
  21. bank — for money
  22. root — of a plant
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. temple — a place of worship

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