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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: cue · root · fall · plane · can · lash · land · temple

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. root — of a plant
  9. cue — a signal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. land — ground
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. fall — to drop
  15. can — to be able to
  16. root — of a word
  17. root — the cause
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. land — a country
  20. fall — the season
  21. cue — a hint
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cue — for pool
  24. lash — an eyelash

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