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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.

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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: lie · rock · net · clip · tube · plane · shower · temple

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  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. shower — a meteor shower
  2. net — after costs
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rock — a stone
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. net — in sport
  9. clip — for paper
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rock — music
  13. tube — a container
  14. shower — rain
  15. net — for catching
  16. clip — to cut
  17. tube — the underground
  18. shower — to wash
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. clip — a video
  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