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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: plane · wind · perch · mate · lie · temple · cabinet · present

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. present — a gift
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mate — a friend
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. wind — moving air
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. present — there
  10. mate — a partner
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — to recline
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. present — the time now
  20. plane — a tool
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wind — moving air
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mate — to breed

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