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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: temple · arm · plane · bulb · roll · pitch · stock · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. spell — letters
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. roll — a list
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stock — goods
  14. pitch — completely
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bulb — for light
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. stock — shares
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spell — magic
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. plane — an aircraft

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