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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. march — music
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. march — the month
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mug — a face
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — hasty
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. march — the month
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. foot — a measure
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. plane — an aircraft

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