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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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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: club · rest · calf · temple · plane · current · fall · tube

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  2. plane — a tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. rest — a break
  7. fall — the season
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. tube — a container
  10. current — happening now
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. fall — to drop
  13. club — a group
  14. current — of water
  15. tube — the underground
  16. club — for dancing
  17. current — electric
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. club — for golf
  21. rest — what's left
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rest — what's left
  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