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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: racket · dip · cap · drill · temple · plane · snap · bound

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. cap — a hat
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. bound — tied together
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. bound — certain
  10. plane — a tool
  11. cap — of ice
  12. dip — to sink
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. drill — the tool
  15. cap — a lid
  16. snap — to click
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bound — obliged
  20. drill — army training
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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