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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
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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: cold · plane · cabinet · lie · can · temple · wave · deal

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. can — a tin
  3. deal — to handle
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. cold — not warm
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. can — to be able to
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. plane — a tool
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cold — an illness
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. can — a tin
  24. lie — to recline

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