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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · kick · staff · cue · temple · plane

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. staff — employees
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. kick — in football
  17. plane — a tool
  18. staff — employees

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