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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. club — for golf
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. club — for dancing
  7. can — to be able to
  8. club — a group
  9. can — a tin
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — a tool
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. field — a subject
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. capital — money
  16. field — farmland
  17. bear — the animal
  18. field — for sport
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. can — a tin

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