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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stand — to bear
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. saw — the tool
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. saw — the tool
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. plane — a tool
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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