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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cap — of ice
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. object — an aim
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. object — to protest
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rest — a break
  21. object — a thing
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. rash — a series
  24. wound — an injury

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