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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · field · plane · patient · safe · pitch · track · bowl

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. track — a path
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. field — farmland
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pitch — completely
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. field — a subject
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. field — for sport
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. plane — a tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. plane — an aircraft

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