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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 120 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
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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: object · temple · chest · fan · spell · wave · suit · field

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. chest — of your body
  3. object — a thing
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. object — to protest
  8. spell — magic
  9. field — for sport
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. object — an aim
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chest — of your body
  17. suit — to fit
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. chest — a box
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. spell — letters
  24. field — a subject

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