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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: temple · rule · fine · plane · saw · bore · racket · hand

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. fine — all right
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rule — a law
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rule — government
  13. hand — help
  14. hand — in cards
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bore — to drill
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  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