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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: field · wake · plane · temple · arm · pitch · board · bank

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. field — farmland
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. board — to get on
  7. field — a subject
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bank — for money
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bank — of a river
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. bank — for money
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. field — for sport
  20. wake — a trail
  21. plane — a tool
  22. board — a committee
  23. pitch — completely
  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