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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: plane · sharp · bore · temple · chest · net · file · ruler

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bore — to tire
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. file — a tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chest — of your body
  12. plane — a tool
  13. file — a document
  14. chest — of your body
  15. file — a line of people
  16. net — for catching
  17. chest — a box
  18. net — after costs
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bore — to drill
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. net — in sport

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