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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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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: plane · nail · march · bear · temple · dip · kick · lash

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bear — the animal
  4. plane — a tool
  5. march — the month
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. kick — in football
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. march — the month
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. dip — to sink
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. bear — the animal
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. march — music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. temple — a place of worship

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