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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: nail · object · temple · bass · plane · hide · land · face

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. land — a country
  3. plane — a tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. face — part of the head
  10. object — to protest
  11. object — an aim
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. land — ground
  16. bass — the fish
  17. object — a thing
  18. bass — low music
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. land — to come down
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. face — to confront
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. face — to point toward

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