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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: field · leaves · plane · bore · land · temple · rash · roll

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. land — to come down
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. field — a subject
  5. roll — a list
  6. bore — to drill
  7. plane — a tool
  8. land — a country
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. rash — hasty
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. rash — a series
  13. field — farmland
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. roll — a cake
  16. land — ground
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bore — to tire
  21. field — for sport
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. leaves — to go away

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