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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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. field — a subject
  4. mark — a grade
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. field — for sport
  8. rush — hurry
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. bank — for money
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. plane — a tool
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bank — for money
  24. mark — to pay attention

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