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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. scale — size or range
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. plane — a tool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. charge — in control
  9. field — farmland
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. field — for sport
  12. scale — in music
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — a price

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