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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: row · swing · temple · season · bank · plane · scale · vault

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. row — a line
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. season — in sport
  5. row — to paddle
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bank — for money
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. bank — for money
  12. plane — a tool
  13. swing — music
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bank — of a river
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. season — of the year
  19. swing — to play on
  20. scale — in music
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. scale — size or range
  24. swing — in golf

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