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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mine — for digging
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. suit — in cards
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. plane — a tool
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rest — a break
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rest — what's left

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