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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 120 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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. spell — a short time
  4. field — a subject
  5. club — a group
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spell — letters
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. pitch — completely
  11. club — for dancing
  12. band — a music group
  13. field — farmland
  14. band — a ring
  15. mark — a grade
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. mark — a trace
  18. field — for sport
  19. club — for golf
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. spell — magic
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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