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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. plane — a tool
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. rest — a break
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. field — for sport
  10. field — a subject
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. rest — what's left
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pass — a permit
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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