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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: tube · racket · key · mate · plane · ball · swing · temple

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. mate — to breed
  3. plane — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. tube — a container
  6. mate — a friend
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. key — the most important part
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. swing — in golf
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. swing — music
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. swing — to play on
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. tube — the underground
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. ball — a round shape

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