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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. roll — a list
  3. can — a tin
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. roll — a cake
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. plane — a tool
  8. track — a path
  9. rash — a series
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. can — to be able to
  12. mate — a friend
  13. mate — a partner
  14. can — a tin
  15. deal — to handle
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. track — a song
  21. mate — to breed
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. track — to keep track

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