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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. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. drill — a practice
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. track — to keep track
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. field — a subject
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. track — a path
  11. can — a tin
  12. drill — army training
  13. row — a line
  14. track — a song
  15. row — to paddle
  16. can — a tin
  17. can — to be able to
  18. branch — a division
  19. drill — the tool
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. vault — a safe
  24. field — farmland

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