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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. suit — clothes
  3. field — farmland
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. game — wild animals
  7. field — a subject
  8. branch — a division
  9. suit — in cards
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. field — for sport
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bass — the fish
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. game — a match
  22. bank — for money
  23. bass — low music
  24. chair — a leader

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