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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ball — a dance
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. plane — a tool
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. staff — employees
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. staff — a stick
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wake — a trail
  14. present — a gift
  15. squash — the sport
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. staff — employees
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. squash — to crush
  22. present — the time now
  23. sharp — clever
  24. ball — a great time

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