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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: branch · field · temple · roll · stick · chip · plane · sharp

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. sharp — clever
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. field — a subject
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. branch — a division
  11. roll — a list
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. chip — to eat
  18. field — farmland
  19. plane — a tool
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. chip — for betting
  23. field — for sport
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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