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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: hand · roll · field · trunk · temple · plane

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. field — for sport
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. field — farmland
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. hand — in cards
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. hand — help
  18. field — a subject

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