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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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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: temple · date · wave · toast · ball · plane · rule · pound

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. date — the fruit
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rule — government
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. toast — bread
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. rule — a law
  15. ball — a dance
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pound — a weight
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. ball — a great time
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. plane — a tool

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