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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
468
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: plane · temple · snap · swing · bat · mark · branch · bulb

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. swing — music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. swing — in golf
  8. plane — a tool
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. branch — a division
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. snap — to click
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bulb — for light
  21. swing — to play on
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. mark — a trace

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