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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. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. rock — a stone
  6. spring — the season
  7. key — in music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. rule — government
  10. spell — letters
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rule — a law
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. spring — of water
  15. key — for a lock
  16. spell — magic
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — a trail
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. spell — a short time
  22. rock — music
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. spring — a coil

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