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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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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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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. temple — a place of worship
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. charge — in control
  6. present — a gift
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. present — the time now
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. field — farmland
  13. plane — a tool
  14. charge — a price
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. key — the most important part
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. key — in music
  20. present — there
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. charge — electricity
  23. field — for sport
  24. wake — a trail

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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