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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 · leaves · chest · board · swing · chip · temple · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. swing — to play on
  3. chip — for betting
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chest — a box
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. chest — of your body
  9. swing — in golf
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. chip — to eat
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. board — a committee
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. chest — of your body
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. plane — a tool
  23. swing — music
  24. board — to get on

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