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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: season · wind · hide · temple · stick · dip · racket · plane

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. season — in sport
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. plane — a tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. season — of the year
  20. wind — moving air
  21. dip — to sink
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wind — to turn a key

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