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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bound — obliged
  7. march — music
  8. bound — certain
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. dip — to sink
  14. stand — to bear
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bound — tied together
  17. pop — to visit
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. plane — a tool
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. march — the month
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. march — the month

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