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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: fine · temple · pass · bear · kick · plane · content · dip

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. kick — in football
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. plane — a tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. pass — a permit
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bear — the animal
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. content — happy
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. content — the amount
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bear — the animal

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