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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: pit · temple · plane · last · sharp · current · root · date

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pit — in a race
  3. current — happening now
  4. root — of a plant
  5. root — of a word
  6. current — of water
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. last — finally
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. root — the cause
  13. current — electric
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. last — final
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. plane — a tool
  23. date — the fruit
  24. last — to go on

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