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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. present — a gift
  4. fall — the season
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. present — there
  11. fall — to drop
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. fall — to drop
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rule — government
  20. cue — a hint
  21. present — the time now
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. rule — a law
  24. rule — to rule out

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