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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fall — to drop
  4. drill — the tool
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chest — a box
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chip — for betting
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — a tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chest — of your body
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fall — the season
  18. chest — of your body
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. tube — the underground
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. tube — a container
  24. ruler — a monarch

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