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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. object — an aim
  4. file — a tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — a trail
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. file — a line of people
  11. season — in sport
  12. object — to protest
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. season — of the year
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. file — a document
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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