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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
468
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: tube · key · plane · temple · bank · land · shower · trunk

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. shower — rain
  3. bank — for money
  4. tube — a container
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. land — a country
  7. key — the most important part
  8. land — to come down
  9. key — in music
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — a tool
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. tube — the underground
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. key — for a lock
  22. shower — to wash
  23. land — ground
  24. temple — a place of worship

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