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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bound — certain
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bear — the animal
  12. rash — a series
  13. race — a contest
  14. mate — a partner
  15. rash — hasty
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bear — the animal
  22. race — humankind
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mate — a friend

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