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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 116 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. plane — a tool
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. object — a thing
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. object — an aim
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. field — a subject
  17. stand — to bear
  18. field — farmland
  19. object — to protest
  20. branch — a division
  21. tube — a container
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. field — for sport

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