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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
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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: temple · plane · pitcher · pop · last · lean · spell · field

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. field — a subject
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. spell — letters
  5. field — farmland
  6. last — finally
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pop — to visit
  10. field — for sport
  11. lean — to bend
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. last — to go on
  15. spell — magic
  16. last — final
  17. lean — thin
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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