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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. ball — a great time
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fine — all right
  7. lie — to recline
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. field — a subject
  10. fine — high quality
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — a break
  14. craft — boats
  15. rest — what's left
  16. field — for sport
  17. ball — a dance
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. prune — to trim
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fine — a penalty

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