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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: mug · plane · mouse · trunk · date · hand · temple · deal

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. date — the fruit
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. mug — a cup
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. hand — help
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mug — to rob
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mug — a face
  24. hand — part of the body

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