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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: plane · temple · bat · face · foot · mug · fork · roll

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. mug — a cup
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. roll — a list
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. mug — to rob
  14. plane — a tool
  15. mug — a face
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. fork — in a road
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. roll — a cake
  24. fork — a garden 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