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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 · cabinet · pitcher · tube · temple · pound · spring · rule

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pound — a weight
  5. spring — the season
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. plane — a tool
  11. spring — a coil
  12. tube — the underground
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. spring — of water
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. rule — a law
  22. tube — a container
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pitcher — a jug

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