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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: wake · chip · branch · sharp · dip · swing · plane · temple

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. chip — to eat
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — a division
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. plane — a tool
  13. swing — to play on
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. dip — to sink
  16. sharp — clever
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. wake — a trail
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. chip — for betting
  21. swing — in golf
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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