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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.

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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: firm · sharp · temple · root · club · field · plane · swing

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. root — the cause
  3. firm — decided
  4. club — a group
  5. plane — a tool
  6. field — for sport
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. swing — to play on
  9. field — farmland
  10. swing — in golf
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. field — a subject
  13. firm — steady
  14. sharp — clever
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. root — of a word
  19. swing — music
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. club — for golf
  22. root — of a plant
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. firm — a company

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