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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. rule — a law
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bass — low music
  5. object — a thing
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. charge — in control
  9. firm — decided
  10. field — a subject
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rule — government
  13. firm — steady
  14. charge — a price
  15. field — for sport
  16. object — to protest
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. firm — a company
  22. wax — to grow
  23. plane — a tool
  24. object — an aim

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