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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: foot · tube · fine · plane · track · roll · wake · temple

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. roll — a list
  5. tube — the underground
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — all right
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. track — a song
  12. wake — a trail
  13. track — a path
  14. tube — a container
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. track — to keep track
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. roll — a cake
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. foot — a measure

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