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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: temple · plane · sharp · rush · squash · board · firm · pitch

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. firm — decided
  2. board — to get on
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — to crush
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. squash — the sport
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pitch — completely
  12. plane — a tool
  13. firm — a company
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. firm — steady
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. board — a committee
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. board — a flat piece
  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