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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. field — farmland
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. suit — in cards
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. suit — to fit
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. toast — bread
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — low music
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. field — for sport
  23. plane — a tool
  24. field — a subject

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