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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: bound · saw · plane · date · hide · temple · mouse · fan

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bound — certain
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. saw — the tool
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. saw — the tool
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. temple — side of the head

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