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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.

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: plane · bat · chip · temple · tube · deal · leaves · saw

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. saw — the tool
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. plane — a tool
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. saw — the tool
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bat — the animal
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. chip — for betting
  20. tube — a container
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. chip — to eat

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