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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.

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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: plane · field · pass · swing · temple · spring · trunk · scale

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. swing — to play on
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. plane — a tool
  6. spring — the season
  7. spring — of water
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. swing — in golf
  13. field — for sport
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. spring — a coil
  16. pass — a permit
  17. swing — music
  18. scale — in music
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. field — a subject
  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