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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
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: kid · pass · stock · temple · plane · cabinet · object · trunk

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  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. kid — to tease
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. object — a thing
  4. kid — child
  5. stock — shares
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. plane — a tool
  8. object — to protest
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stock — goods
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. object — an aim
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. plane — in geometry
  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