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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  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. plane — in geometry
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. spring — of water
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. field — for sport
  9. mine — for digging
  10. spring — the season
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. fine — high quality
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. plane — a tool
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. fine — all right
  23. spring — a coil
  24. fine — a penalty

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