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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  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. plane — an aircraft
  2. fine — high quality
  3. rush — hurry
  4. scale — in music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mate — a partner
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bound — certain
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bound — obliged
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. board — a committee
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fine — all right
  16. board — to get on
  17. bound — tied together
  18. mate — to breed
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. scale — size or range
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. plane — a tool
  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