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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mate — a friend
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rock — a stone
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rock — music
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mate — a partner

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