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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: branch · firm · field · plane · dip · shower · temple · court

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. court — of law
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. shower — rain
  8. field — for sport
  9. branch — a division
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. firm — a company
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. shower — to wash
  16. plane — a tool
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. court — of a king
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — to sink
  21. court — for sport
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. field — farmland

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