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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.

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: cabinet · plane · ball · roll · temple · land · pop · sharp

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pop — to visit
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. roll — a list
  6. land — a country
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. sharp — clever
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ball — a great time
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pop — music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. land — to come down
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pop — soda
  23. land — ground
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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