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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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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: drill · temple · file · net · patient · plane · pound · bound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bound — certain
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. file — a document
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. drill — army training
  9. net — after costs
  10. drill — the tool
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — a tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bound — tied together
  15. drill — a practice
  16. file — a tool
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. net — in sport
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. net — for catching

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