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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. last — final
  4. swing — in golf
  5. can — a tin
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. field — for sport
  8. can — to be able to
  9. field — farmland
  10. plane — a tool
  11. field — a subject
  12. chip — for betting
  13. last — finally
  14. bank — of a river
  15. swing — music
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bank — for money
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. can — a tin
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bank — for money

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