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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 120 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: rest · pass · temple · current · plane · craft · hand · tube

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. pass — a permit
  3. craft — a skill
  4. tube — a container
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. craft — boats
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. rest — a break
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. hand — in cards
  20. hand — help
  21. tube — the underground
  22. current — of water
  23. rest — what's left
  24. tube — in a tire

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