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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. march — music
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. suit — in cards
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. club — for golf
  8. field — farmland
  9. suit — clothes
  10. field — for sport
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. march — the month
  14. mark — a trace
  15. suit — to fit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. march — the month
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. mark — a grade
  23. plane — a tool
  24. nail — on a finger

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