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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: board · root · jam · dip · field · chest · plane · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. root — of a plant
  3. field — for sport
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. root — the cause
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. board — to get on
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. chest — of your body
  11. field — farmland
  12. root — of a word
  13. dip — to sink
  14. board — a committee
  15. chest — a box
  16. swing — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. field — a subject
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. chest — of your body
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. plane — a tool
  24. dip — a sauce

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