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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. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. field — a subject
  2. craft — boats
  3. lean — thin
  4. lean — to bend
  5. key — the most important part
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. key — in music
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. ball — a dance
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bear — the animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. field — farmland
  17. craft — a skill
  18. ball — a great time
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. field — for sport
  24. plane — an aircraft

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