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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: sharp · mark · snap · bore · wind · plane · lie · temple

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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. wind — moving air
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. wind — moving air
  21. snap — to click
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mark — a trace
  24. sharp — clever

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