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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. plane — a tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. swing — in golf
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wound — an injury
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. swing — music
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. firm — decided
  18. swing — to play on
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitch — completely
  24. coach — a trainer

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