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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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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: cell · temple · pop · rush · deal · game · plane · court

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cell — a phone
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. game — a match
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. game — wild animals
  18. deal — to handle
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pop — to visit
  24. cell — in biology

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