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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bore — to tire
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — a division
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. chest — of your body
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. chest — of your body
  24. plane — a tool

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