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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 120 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: swing · bank · bowl · saw · game · stick · temple · plane

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bank — for money
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bank — of a river
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bank — for money
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. game — a match
  19. swing — music
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. swing — to play on
  22. plane — a tool
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. temple — a place of worship

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