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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. field — a subject
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. suit — to fit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. field — farmland
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pass — a permit
  21. plane — a tool
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. field — for sport
  24. suit — clothes

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