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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  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. file — a document
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. file — a tool
  4. field — a subject
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. field — for sport
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bat — the animal
  12. file — a line of people
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. spell — letters
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. plane — a tool
  20. pound — a weight
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. field — farmland
  23. spell — magic
  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